


A is A: Danger! Kunzite's Revenge!

by Flyboy254



Series: A Is A [17]
Category: Bishoujo Senshi Sailor Moon | Pretty Guardian Sailor Moon, My Little Pony: Equestria Girls, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-07
Updated: 2018-07-23
Packaged: 2019-06-06 16:54:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15199226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Flyboy254/pseuds/Flyboy254
Summary: Testing the correlation between the technologies of the Silver Millennium and the abilities of the magic-wielders of the MVTF, SG-1 is caught without recourse when the last general attacks seeking vengeance.





	1. Chapter 1

**Danger! Kunzite’s Vengeance!**

 

“ _Moon Prism Power! Make-up!_ ”

 

The light filled the room, cameras setup around Usagi as she transformed into her uniform. Sunset watched on a bank of monitors, Twilight keeping tabs on a bank of equipment measuring everything from EM levels to UV waves. The rest of the girls kept watch on the cameras, or in Fluttershy’s case rubbed the bellies of Artemis and Luna.

 

Carter tapped the stopwatch. “Forty seconds from start to finish. That’s not good Usagi, if this were a firefight you’d be a target for anyone with two eyes.”

 

Usagi shrugged. “But is it really that important? It’s not like anyone here will come after us, that Kane guy doesn’t even know we exist.”

 

“Not a good reason to think he won’t come after you,” Carter said flatly as she went to the monitors to look over what they’d read during the transformation. “Even more important, we’re getting a better read on how this all works.”

 

“It’s amazing,” Twilight whispered, grinning like a fool as she read over the data they’d collected. “It’s like the light beams layered on themselves, taking individual atoms and arranging them in specific patterns to create the clothes and equipment.” The girl was practically bouncing up and down where she sat, Carter walked over to see her scrolling through the readings they’d gotten from the transformation. “If we can find a way to duplicate this technology we could solve everything from world hunger to affordable housing!”

 

O’Neill raised a hand, seated in a corner of the shrine. “So we’re basically about to get replicators?”

 

“No, I don’t think the replicators have access to this level of technology yet sir.”

 

O’Neill’s head fell back into the wall as he whispered, “Oh fer cryin’ out loud.”

 

Outside, Rei swept the steps to the shrine as Daniel took some pictures. “This shrine is beautiful, your family's been taking care of it for how long?”

 

“Since the Sengoku Jidai,” Rei said happily, wiping her forehead off in the warming spring sun. “My Grandpa was hurt when my dad got into politics instead of deciding to take care of the shrine, but he’s loved that I’m helping him keep the place up and clean.”

 

Daniel nodded, looking up at the massive tree marked as a kami. “So, does he know then?”

 

Rei’s sweeping slowed. “No. I mean Grandpa was transformed into one of the Seven Great Youma but he doesn’t remember anything after he was turned back. I don’t think any of our families know anything about what we’ve been doing.”

 

Daniel’s expression fell. It was one thing to work as part of a secret operation as part of a government effort, but these girls only had each other to talk about these issues. Combine that with the knowledge of an interdimensional conspiracy that could launch an attack at any second coupled with their own foes, and Daniel was impressed they were even still able to carry on with life knowing that the weight of their world apparently rested on their shoulders.

 

Rei kept sweeping, eyes focused on the stairs as she went. “So, Usagi and I messed up at the hearing didn’t we?”

 

Daniel shook his head hurriedly. “No, no of course not. I mean right now we got a little extra funding to help with our work, it’s how we got all this equipment here.”

 

“Well, they’re still testing,” Rainbow groaned, walking up behind the two and sitting on the top of the stairs. “How hard is it to watch light for Pete’s sake?”

 

Daniel grinned, taking another picture of the shrine. “Well Carter noticed that your descriptions of your own transformations and the Senshi’s transformations are incredibly similar. Apparently once we get baselines for both she wants to see about streamlining them to use so we can ease our supply concerns for future missions.”

 

“Hopefully so we don’t ever have to eat those disgusting MRE things again,” Rae said, face shifting into an expression of deep disgust.

 

“I hear ya sister,” Rainbow said, holding out her fist. Rei stared at the offered hand, Rainbow sighing as she grabbed one of Rei’s and completed the bump. “Trust me, it’ll be big in a few years.”

 

Daniel shook his head and turned to the other end of the shrine, watching as Applejack and Pinkie Pie admired the bell used for the prayers of those making offerings to the shrine. “ _Thank God for Lunar technology,_ ” he thought. “ _Now I don’t have to run around playing translator for the next few days._ ”

 

“So you’re sure your principals don’t mind?” Rei finished her sweeping and sat next to Rainbow. “I mean I figured they have a lot to handle at their school.”

 

“Eh, Ms. Cherilee and Ms. Harshwhinny are pretty on top of things,” Rainbow said. “Don’t know why they thought they needed to be here though, I mean the way Teal’c talked about all this it sounds like we can handle whatever’s here no sweat.”

 

Daniel shrugged as he took another picture of the shrine. “Alright then, if you’re not worried.”

* * *

Celestia leaned back in her seat, smiling as she pushed her empty ramen bowl forward. “Ah, I can’t believe we had a vacation in so long. And to Japan too.”

 

Luna grinned as she finished up her own bowl. “An alternate at that. Can’t say I ever expected this to be something I’d have happen.”

 

Celestia nodded, smiling as she looked out onto the packed streets outside. Tokyo in the afternoon was an amazing sight, a world away from the quiet bustle of Canterlot. Of course, if any of their students had been there to see them in jeans and t-shirts (Dead Kennedys for Celestia, The Sex Pistols for Luna) they’d probably wonder just what madness this was.

 

“So where do we go from here,” Luna asked as the pair collected their bags and went for the door. “You talked about going to Akihabara to see it during the transformation.”

 

“We’ll have time,” Celestia said, both sisters throwing on a pair of aviators. “Right now? Let’s hit Ginza.” Smiling, the two sisters fist-bumped and rolled to the high-price district.

* * *

Kane paced around the man, panting on his knees as he process what he’d just seen. “You see why I need you, Joseph. Your very name has always been ordained for this work, and now I stand before you showing you what you must prepare for.”

 

The man panted, scraggly hair hanging about his head and his eyes wide with revelation. “That…That thing…It’s not possible…”

 

“Oh I assure you it is,” Kane said, sitting down in the man’s worn kitchen chair in the run-down house. “Your wife, dead from the car crash. Your daughter dead by, we can still call it ‘medical malpractice’ if it makes you feel better.”

 

Joseph shuddered. “My brothers, my sister-”

 

“Have had their own issues of course. But the blood of a covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. I’ve already ensured they’d be in the perfect position to see your way of thinking.” Still smiling, Kane took from one of the masked and armed figures in the kitchen and held it out to John. “A most peculiar plant. One that might help you in your efforts.”

 

Joseph stared at the plant, his mind clearly trying desperately to process what was happening. “You’re…you’re sure that this will help?”

 

Kane stood, spreading his arms wide in the kitchen. “Have I not shown you the awesome glories of creation? Did I not promise you purpose?” Walking up to Joseph, Kane put a hand on the man’s shoulder and turned Joseph to the door outside. “Build your flock, Joseph. Go forth and preach this word. Gather your flock and prepare. The Collapse is coming. Only you can save them.”

 

Joseph nodded, his vision filling with bright light as Kane spoke. “The Collapse, the Collapse is really coming?”

 

“Go forth Joseph,” Kane said, motioning for his people to leave the house. “Eden waits for you.”

 

Joseph nodded, staring forward in numb bliss as Kane shut the door to the house behind him. “That was quite the performance brother,” Enoch said, the troopers returning to trees away from the crumbling farmhouse over the Georgia clay. “Do you think it will work?”

 

“It will buy us time,” Kane said, as the door to their hideout opened again. “By now they’ll have started to piece together several truths, or at least that they can identify which truths to search for. For now we’ll wait. Knowing Darwin, selection will begin soon.”

 

Enoch nodded as he and Kane went for the glowing red gateway. “I’ll leave our sources open, several promising universes were spotted that may provide additional recruitment and diversion opportunities.”

 

Kane nodded. “As long as the MVTF is kept occupied. We still have some time before the arrival of the Convergence. I plan to make the most of it.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

 

Kunzite threw the youma across his chambers, storming over and kicking it in the head. “Please master, please stop! I can’t take another day!”

 

“You’ll take as much as I give,” Kunzite barked, kicking the beast hard enough to throw it three feet. “Until I’m satisfied that you’ve learned the price for your failure, I will never stop. Now get out, I must report to Queen Beryl.”

 

The youma faded as Kunzite straightened his uniform for the daily meeting. He didn’t leave before he passed the sarcophagus though, he didn’t dare.

 

They’d done a masterful job of restoring Zoisite’s beauty, an immaculate uniform almost like a second skin beneath the sealed glass. His hair lay beneath with each lock perfectly preserved, face serene and placid with white lilies held to his chest. Despite it Kunzite couldn’t destroy the image in his mind of when the body had been found, of his beloved riddled with holes and blood covering the concrete beneath his broken neck.

 

He knew it hadn’t been the Senshi, they didn’t have it in them to kill. Whoever it was that Zoisite had spotted, whoever had helped the Senshi, they were the ones responsible and they would pay. Beryl could have the crystal when she wanted, but this had become personal for Kunzite and he didn’t plan on denying it.

 

Throwing on his cloak, Kunzite strode with purpose through the caverns. Lower youma and lesser nobles quickly moved from his path as he stormed into Beryl’s audience chamber. The crowd was silenced, watching the general stride with flowing cloak before his queen and kneeling before her. “My queen.”

 

Beryl stared into her crystal, staring down at Kunzite with bitter glare in her eye. “Kunzite. Are you still brooding?”

 

Kunzite bit back his first response. “I do not let it affect my performance, my queen. I serve at your command and will carry out what you ask.”

 

“Excellent Kunzite, because I have a new mission for you.” Beryl’s crystal shifted, revealing a small shrine in the district. “I’ve sensed a great amount of energy coming from this shrine. Jadeite once gathered energy from those who offered there, and it was also the residence of the human that bore the crystal of Jiji. These incidents brought together are not coincidence.”

 

Kunzite glared at the picture of the shrine, a pathetic little collection of buildings of only minimal importance to the humans and less to him. “Do you want me to raze it my queen?”

 

“No, it may prove of value later.” Beryl smiled as she cast her arm to Kunzite. “Capture this shrine Kunzite, it’s power will allow us to finally stake claim against the humans and bring to the surface the true power of the Negaforce!”

 

Kunzite nodded, vanishing from the chamber back to his quarters. Quickly he summoned back the youma he’d beaten earlier. “It seems I’m ready to make you learn your lesson after all.”

* * *

Carter, Sunset, Ami, and Twilight each went over a different monitor from the various tests. “Well the angle on this camera could have been better, but I don’t think it’ll affect the UV light recording.”

 

“All good here on EM fields,” Ami said with a smile. “The readings are just like you predicted Maj. Carter, almost exactly like what you said.”

 

“The shifts between spectrums are perfect,” Twilight squealed. “This is so exciting, we’re on the verge of a major breakthrough!”

 

“I’m still lost though,” Sunset said, turning away from the readings on her screen. “We need to examine their pieces of technology, we still don’t know how it links the outfits and abilities together.”

 

“Agreed,” Carter said, yawning as she stretched out. Checking her watch, she smiled. “Sun’ll be down soon. We should probably get moving.” Quickly the quartet shut things down for the night, Carter securing any and all controlled items and information before they left the room. “We’re getting some great data Ami, a few more days and I think we’ll have enough to start comparisons to MVs one to three.”

 

“I can’t wait,” Ami said, happily locking up as Carter carried out the most sensitive equipment. “Why, I could use it for my own scientific applications one day here. Mass application of this could change everything mankind ever knew, from physics to economics.”

 

“I’d settle for sleep right now,” O’Neill said, leaning against the outside of the building with his cap over his eyes. “All secured major?”

 

“Everything’s here sir,” Carter said, patting the case in hand. “Want us to walk you to the train station Ami?”

 

Ami waved off the offer. “There’s no need, I can-”

 

“I’ve seen this movie, AJ and RD with me.” Rising from his seat, O’Neill led Applejack and Rainbow to the street. “Well c’mon Blue, we need an early start tomorrow.”

 

Ami sighed as she shifted her pack. “Does he always do this?”

 

Carter shrugged. “He means it as a sign of affection, if it really bothers you just tell him and he’ll stop.”

 

As the four walked to the nearest station, Daniel barely stifled a yawn. “You know, given what the girls said I expected a lot of trouble. I mean the way they described it they have something happen every week but I haven’t seen one creature or loquacious posing weirdo since we got here.” Behind Daniel, Teal’c stepped up to the edge of the stairs, clasped his hands behind his back, and stared up at the full moon hanging above them.

 

“I know, I’m sorry but I have to go.” Fluttershy giggled as she waved goodbye to Phobos and Deimos. “Don’t worry, I’ll bring plenty of bread and seeds for tomorrow.”

 

“I’ll get Minako home safe,” Makoto said, cracking her knuckles. “I’ll stay the night so we can get an early start tomorrow.”

 

“I will see Usagi home then.” Teal’c turned to the group. “Would you be able to accompany me Sunset?”

 

“No problem,” Sunset said, walking with Teal’c and Usagi down the stairs.

 

“Guess that just leaves us,” Carter said, smiling to the girls left. “Are you good Rei?”

 

Rei nodded. “My chores are done for the day, I’m as ready to head to bed as the colonel.” Yawning Rei waved to everyone as she went to her house along with her birds. “I’ll see you all tomorrow.”

 

Ten minutes later the shrine proper was empty, sitting quietly in the spring night air waiting for the devotions of the next day. No one was there to notice the ungainly shape flitting from tree to tree to the doors of the sanctum. Opening the locks, the youma entered the building to find a place to being it’s mission.

 

“What, what is this?”

 

The youma stared at the cameras and various measurement devices set up inside the shrine, puzzling out for itself what they could possibly be used for and not being able to. It didn’t matter, the mission wasn’t to ask questions about cameras. If anything, this made Kunzite’s task that much easier to accomplish. Focusing the power and energy in its body, the creature split itself apart as shimmering sections slithered slowly, suffused sufficiently with energy necessary to accomplish the goal at hand. Before it’s body separated completely, it had to smile. Kunzite would have to be pleased now, no reason to keep beating it would be left after this.

* * *

“Thanks for seeing me home,” Ami said, bowing to her three escorts. “Honestly, I don’t think I needed it though. Things have been so quiet since you’ve all helped us.”

 

“O’Neill would say that to avoid injuries one must take great caution.”

 

Applejack chuckled. “Meaning it never hurts to be careful. G’night sugarcube, we’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

 

Ami waved as she shut the door to the apartment behind her, leaving Teal’c and the two Wondercolts to proceed back to the station. “Man, I wish we could explore a little more,” Rainbow said quietly. “I mean Celestia and Luna said they’re going all over the place while we’re at the shrine.”

 

“Well they’re taking a vacation,” Applejack countered. “From what they said, it’s the first one they’ve had in a while too. It’d be rude to not let them have a little fun for a change.”

 

“It’s just so boring,” Rainbow groaned, rounding the corner back to the station. “I mean we spent three straight days at the shrine watching them change costumes in a bunch of light, when are we gonna fight some real monsters?”

 

“I believe the phrase is to be cautious about your desires,” Teal’c said patiently. “Receiving them may prove dangerous.”

 

Applejack looked back at the Jaffa. “Are our phrases that hard to get?”

 

Teal’c raised an eyebrow. “Some come easily. Others require more explanation and effort to understand.”

 

A quick train ride later, the three were stepping off the elevator to the floor of their hotel they were staying in. The CIA had easily been able to provide enough yen to let them all stay comfortably, even if Applejack objected to “fake money” being a lie. She’d been won over fast enough when O’Neill explained she could try and pay for her own food and lodgings with her own money that didn’t technically exist at all.

 

“Good thing we managed to get this during Spring Break,” Applejack said with a smile. “Don’t think Twilight would’ve taken it too well if she hadn’t gotten the chance to come here.”

 

Rainbow groaned as she collapsed into the pillows. “I guess. I still say we didn’t need to be here. I could be at the beach all week instead of here being so bored my brains are leaking out.”

 

Applejack kicked off her boots and moved for the bathroom. “Aw, it’ll be fine Rainbow. One or two more days and we’ll be able to head to a few spots in the city before going back.”

 

Rainbow pushed herself up on her elbows. “And I guess you’re taking the shower first?”

 

Applejack smiled as she walked into the bathroom. “Early bird, Rainbow.” She shut the door just as the pillow went flying at her.

 

Rainbow groaned, shoving her head into the pillow again. “ _Man, why aren’t we out there fighting more of those Goa’uld things? Isn’t the entire point of this whole thing to stop them? I mean it’s not like we’re doing anything like this back home._ ”

 

Rolling onto her back, Rainbow grabbed the remote from the bedside table and turned on the TV. She couldn’t understand a word, but at least it was some noise in the background.

 

The anchor was going on about local news for the city, displaying a still image of a part of the city Rainbow didn’t recognize and probably wasn’t going to see. There were two old guys there with her, talking about whatever was going on, before Rainbow sat up in surprise. The still image shifted to one of the Sailor Senshi in the distance, thankfully covered in shadows. Then the TV cut to a scene of a warehouse floor covered in blood. “Oh crap.”

 

Jumping out of bed, Rainbow grabbed her key and ran to O’Neill’s room, pounding hurriedly on the door. “Hey, colonel, I think we’ve got a problem here!”

 

“What’s the big hey! Stop, stop that!” The door had flown open, and Rainbow gave O’Neill a few hits before he blocked her. “What’s the big deal?”

 

“Turn on your TV right now,” Rainbow said, ducking under O’Neill and switching on the TV. The same news thankfully showed up, showing Tokyo PD investigating the scene. “They had a picture of the Senshi up earlier, and then this showed up.”

 

“Aw crap,” O’Neill grumbled, Daniel putting his Japanese language book down. “Daniel, getting anything?”

 

“Well one of them is claiming it’s probably the work of local criminals,” Daniel said, turning the volume up. “His opponent isn’t buying it, he’s saying that the Sailor Senshi have finally shown that they can’t be trusted and that he’s suspected them for months.”

 

“Dammit, I can’t believe that the police give a damn now.” O’Neill paced the room, shaking his head and trying his best to figure out how to smack himself silly. “They don’t care that they group of lunatics are running around throwing lights at each other but they suddenly care about a patch of blood in a warehouse?”

 

“The anchor’s taking control again,” Daniel said. “She’s thanking them and trying to move on to new stories.”

 

“This is bad isn’t it,” Rainbow said, chewing on her nails like they were Doritos. “I mean if the police are involved what does that mean for us?”

 

“Nothing yet, we don’t exist after all. Get the others and get them in here, we need a course of action.”

 

O’Neill quickly regret bringing everyone into the room. Between Teal’c’s mass and Pinkie bouncing up and down on the bed she’d claimed to sit on, O’Neill suddenly found himself longing for a smaller team again. “Okay, so we overlooked something the last time we were here. Turns out the local cops might suspect the Senshi of being murderers.”

 

Luna glared at O’Neill. “That’s quite the oversight for a man of your experience sir. I thought you operated during the Cold War.”

 

“Yeah well the local cops didn’t seem too interested before.” O’Neill muted the TV and looked to the room. “Alright, only zats for now unless something major goes down, don’t need any more bodies popping up.”

 

“That doesn’t solve our problem though,” Sunset said. “If people turn against the Senshi, that’ll make their job of protecting people even harder.”

 

“Then perhaps this world’s authorities will finally have to assume the duties of protecting their citizens.” Teal’c glared at the TV. “They clearly have faltered in their duties.”

 

“Don’t be too hard Teal’c, they wouldn’t know what to do about any of this anyway.” Staring at the news as it pressed on to sports, O’Neill looked to Carter. “Major, any chance we can speed this up?”

 

“If we’re in a rush sir, I can finish what I was testing for by tomorrow.”

 

O’Neill nodded, shutting off the TV. “Alright, we’re getting them all early tomorrow and getting out of here.”

* * *

Usagi giggled, kicking her feet over the side of her bed as she held the phone to her ear. “I know, but you look so awesome in the cape…Oh, practical isn’t always important…Okay, I’ll talk to you tomorrow. I love you too!” Kissing, Usagi hung the receiver back on the cradle and giggled to herself. “I can’t believe it Luna, not only am I a princess I have a cute prince boyfriend!”

 

Luna groaned. “Yes Usagi, we’re all very thrilled that we’ve finally confirmed you’re the moon princess. Now maybe we can get some sleep? You were talking to Mamoru for nearly an hour.”

 

Usagi jumped out of her bed and pat Luna playfully on the ears. “Oh Luna, you just don’t have someone in your life like I do. It’s only natural you’d be jealous of our relationship.”

 

Luna swatted Usagi’s hand away. “Can’t you take anything seriously? Tomorrow’s your turn to be recorded, who knows what we could find out about your transformation and powers compared to the others since you’re the princess. It may even help us find the Silver Crystal.”

 

“Well right now I just want to get some sleep.” Giving Luna one last pat, Usagi hit the lights and was under the covers so fast that Luna wondered if there was a connection between the speed at which one gets into bed and their ability to focus during schoolwork.

 

Satisfied that Usagi was asleep, Luna jumped across the room to the open window and outside. It had become her patrol, watching the night as her friend, no, her _princess_ slumbered. She wouldn’t admit it aloud, but it was also fun to bound through the streets, over walls, and work out her stresses just by being a cat.

 

The night was mercifully quiet, even since the death of Zoisite the enemy had been quiet. Luna pondered why, they had never been so distant before after all. She hadn’t heard any news stories that could imply people being turned to evil, and it seemed as if the enemy had decided to step away after the loss of another general. “ _Well at least it’s giving Usagi time to catch up on sleep and schoolwork._ ”

 

“I know, it’s a scandal.” Luna froze atop a wall, looking down to see two women walking home from the store with bags in-hand. “To think of it, I mean my little girl idolizes them. What am I going to tell her?”

 

“My father said it was only a matter of time. I never took him seriously, I figured it was just him being retired from the police for so long that made him talk like that.”

 

“It makes you wonder though, doesn’t it? I mean who was it they did that to?” Luna started to trot along the wall, keeping pace with the two women as they went.

 

“I know, but do you really think it was someone innocent? They’ve never gone after criminals before.”

 

“Criminals that we know about. Those monsters they keep claiming exist? I’ve never seen one. And you know that if they were real the newspapers and TV would be reporting them.”

 

Luna sat and let the women walk on. Something had happened, and now people were questioning the Senshi’s reason for being in Tokyo. “Was it because of what happened with Zoisite?” Luna shook her head and stared up at the moon hanging above. “I wonder how she would have handled this situation.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

 

Minako smiled as she woke to the sun peeking through her window. It was another beautiful day of vacation, of spending time with her friends and learning more about her powers. Knowing that there were new allies against the Dark Kingdom, especially those who had fought before, had become a comfort since the night they’d all met the MVTF. Even if it had involved being shocked and kidnapped.

 

A quick shower and ten minutes brushing her hair, Minako was out and on the way to the shrine. It was a happy accident that Rei had managed to convince her grandfather to leave for the week, and that Yuuichirou was off to “find himself” in Hokkaido. With them safely ensconced in their own lives, Carter had more than enough time to study their abilities in detail.

 

“Morning,” Artemis said, leaping through the open window. “You’re up early.”

 

“Well, the faster we get these tests done the sooner we can get on with our break. I don’t think Ami would mind either way though.” Flipping her hand through her freshly brushed hair, Minako gave herself a wink in the mirror. “Alright, I’m all set. C’mon Artemis, let’s get to the shrine.”

 

It was a short walk to the train, and as Minako boarded she hummed idly to herself as she rode. It was full of the usual compliment that day; salarymen, mothers with their babies, elderly out for their daily routines and the odd delinquent or two. Everyone was chatting with each other though, a rarity on the train.

 

“Can’t believe it.” “Would they really do something like this?” “Never trusted them, not once.” “The airport, and now this? They can’t be connected.” “My friend said they saved her, but now I’m wondering why.”

 

“Lot of people talking,” Artemis said quietly. “Think something happened?”

 

“Someone would’ve called us last night if there was something wrong.” Putting on an innocent face, she turned to one of the salarymen. “Excuse me sir? What’s everyone talking about?”

 

“You didn’t hear?” The man held up his newspaper for Minako to see. “The police are wondering if those Sailor Senshi aren’t involved in a murder.”

 

Minako didn’t react. She just turned away and buried her feelings deep, so deep that they couldn’t break out on the train. Even after getting off near the shrine, her expression was placid and unmoving. Hopping up the stairs, she saw Rainbow Dash and and Pinkie Pie sitting outside the shrine. Well, Rainbow was sitting, Pinkie was doing cartwheels around her friend. “Oh, hey Minako, what’s up?”

 

“Where’s Col. O’Neill?”

 

Pinkie kept rolling around. “He’s inside, talking with Maj. Carter.” Pinkie started to roll around Minako now. “You okay? You’re not smiling like you usually are.”

 

“I just need to talk to Col. O’Neill,” Minako said, walking past Pinkie and Rainbow into the shrine. Shutting the door tightly behind her, she saw Makoto talking with Applejack and Ami working with Sunset to center the cameras. O’Neill stood in one of the corners, talking with Celestia and Luna about something that Minako didn’t hear and didn’t think would be as important. “Colonel, I need to speak with you.”

 

“Perfect, cause we need to talk with you,” O’Neill said, the trio quickly absorbing Minako into the discussion. “There was a news story last night, the police are starting to wonder about you guys.”

 

“Because of you,” Minako said firmly. “I found out on the train here, Artemis hasn’t said anything since we heard it.” Minako pointed at O’Neill with an accusatory glare. “Your team shot Zoisite, now we have to worry about the police.”

 

“Yeah, I’m not too worried about cops that don’t care until there’s blood on the concrete about an investigation.”

 

“What the colonel means,” Celestia said, jumping in between the two. “Is that we shouldn’t worry too much about the police. If anything, the real threat is still the Dark Kingdom that you told us about. Everyone’s mentioned repeatedly that they’re being rather quiet.”

 

“Well if the police come looking for us what are we supposed to do?” Minako motioned to Ami as she and Twilight set up the computers. “We’re the soldiers of love and justice, we can’t fight the authorities.”

 

“The police are only suspecting you, and the only evidence they have are a few bloodstains on a warehouse floor.” Celestia put her arms on Minako’s shoulders and gave her a comforting smile. “I promise, you won’t have to worry about the police as long as you keep facing the Dark Kingdom.”

 

Minako smiled a little, looking up at Celestia as any young girl looks up to an older woman imparting wisdom and comfort. “I guess I’m just a little worried is all.”

 

“It’s not wrong to be, it means you care.”

 

Sunset brushed her hands off and grinned. “Okay, we’re ready to pony-up and compare with the Senshi. I’ll go first okay?”

 

Carter gave a thumbs up. “Minako, can you help Ami with the equipment she’s on?”

 

Minako hurried over, leaving O’Neill to finish his conversation with the sisters. “Bluffing like that, you could kill in Vegas.”

 

“They need to keep their spirits high,” Celestia argued, keeping her voice low as she spoke. “Better they focus on what they can fight than something that can take them down.”

 

“We’ll stay near the hotel just in case,” Luna said. “If the authorities suddenly decide they care after all and make the right connections we’ll need to get everything back to the base before they come for the rooms.”

 

“Keep it low key,” O’Neill said, motioning to the zats the two were carrying. “Last thing we need is a bunch of locals wondering about the weird foreigners with crazy weapons.”

 

As the two sisters walked out, Teal’c walked in with his ballcap pulled low over his forehead. “The perimeter is secured O’Neill.”

 

“Alright, let’s get this show on the road.” Reaching into his pack, O’Neill pulled out a pillow from the hotel and settled into his corner with a thumb held in the air. “Ready on you Carter.”

 

Carter chuckled as Applejack stepped into the center of the cameras. “Alright, ready Applejack?”

 

“Ready as a stallion for a fox hunt,” Applejack said cheerily. “There a specific way you want me to do this ma’am?”

 

“Just transformation like you would normally,” Carter said, making the final adjustments on the cameras. “Okay, when you’re ready.”

 

Applejack nodded, clutching her crystal and letting sheets of light run over her body. Her arms were suddenly covered in leather gauntlets with two massive emerald crystals on the hands, her cowboy boots swapped out for gold-plated boots reaching up to her knees. Her hair was now tied up in a sectioned ponytail with a headband of emeralds cut into apples, and there was not a gold belt and neck guard where they had been a t-shirt and jeans.

 

Carter hit the stopwatch. “Twelve seconds. Much faster, there might be a way to decrease the time for the Senshi if we can figure out how it works. We might have a reason to study the crystals you use after all.”

 

“So long as it doesn’t involve hurting Sgt. Silar again,” Sunset said quietly to Twilight. Twilight smiled awkwardly. “Still, I wonder why there’s such a time difference. Heck, I wonder why they can only use their powers when they’re transformed.”

 

“Except for Usagi’s disguise pen,” Twilight mentioned. “Might be something useful to remember if the police start to put things together.”

 

Makoto laughed, stepping up to the edge of the cameras. “Some transformation. Bet you can’t take me on though.”

 

Applejack laughed, cracking her knuckles through the leather. “I’m as ready as you are sister. That okay Maj. Carter?”

 

Carter thought for a moment. “Only inside the cameras, and only hit each other’s palms. We don’t need anyone getting hurt today.”

 

Both girls nodded, standing apart from each other, both enjoying the challenge they were offering each other. “Sure you don’t want to transform? Might keep you from getting hurt.”

 

Makoto laughed. “I don’t need to transform to know how to throw a punch, or take a hit. Don’t feel like you need to go easy on me.”

 

Carter reset several of the recording parameters and checked their high speed camera. “Alright, let’s get a baseline first. Makoto, you throw a punch first to give us a baseline.” Makoto smiled, throwing a hard right straight into Applejack’s outstretched hand. “Perfect, let me just check the high speed. Excellent. Alright, now Applejack? Make sure you don’t throw a hard enough punch to hurt her, just make sure she feels it.”

 

Applejack grinned, throwing what she thought was a light tap to Makoto. Only Makoto’s reaction to it was to quickly pull her hand back and cradle it. “Oh shoot sugarcube, I didn’t mean to hurt you! Maj. Carter said to just make you feel it.”

 

Makoto waved her hand about trying to get the pain to disappear. “Don’t worry, I definitely felt that one.”

 

Applejack pulled back with an apologetic face. “Man, I knew I had power when I pony up but I didn’t think it was that strong.”

 

“We’ll need to arrange a special session with MIT, they’ll have some instruments we can test with that can measure the kind of force you’re putting out.” Carter nodded at the footage. “Alright, Makoto, want to go next?”

* * *

Kunzite stared at the footage coming to his personal quarters. What was this woman behind the bank of computers? Who were these other girls? Who was that man in the corner looking like he was sleeping? And these girls in front of the cameras transforming? This wasn’t the technologies and abilities of the Lunar Kingdom, it was something entirely new, and new was a danger to his plans.

 

“ _The one sleeping is their leader, but that doesn’t make sense. What kind of leader just sleeps as he subordinates carry out his plans? And what’s their connection to each other?_ ”

 

Kunzite leaned forward, watching as the girl named Makoto held up a wand with the symbol of Jupiter and transformed into the guardian of protection. “ _Makoto. It would take time to scour the city for this one. For all of them. But the others are foreign, if Nephrite were still alive I could at least make some use of him to help me find where they’d be staying._ ”

 

The general watched as Sailor Jupiter grinned, turning to the blonde foreigner. “ _Alright, now let’s see how much punches measure up._ ”

 

“ _Shoot, guess it’s only fair now, ain’t it?_ ” The foreigner held her palms out, and Jupiter struck with her right hand.

 

“ _Your force seems to have doubled slightly,_ ” one of the foreigners said. How had she been able to tell? “ _Makoto, have you ever tried to use your electrokinesis to channel a surge of electricity into your punches? It could help us determine how to make our own systems more effective._ ”

 

Kunzite’s entire body seemed to stop. Their own systems? What did that mean? They were studying the technologies of the Lunar Kingdom? No, no that couldn’t be allowed. If humans found a way to harness the power of the kingdom, made themselves strong enough to fight his forces and monsters, then all his plans would be useless.

 

“Stop them!” Kunzite screamed, leaping out of his chair. “Destroy their equipment, don’t let any of their technologies remain!”

* * *

“What the hell?”

 

Sparks were flying out of the cameras and computers, Carter shielding her face as the equipment started to somehow self-destruct. Applejack and Makoto ran outside the circle of cameras, the unbearable stench of melting plastic filling the room.

 

“I don’t understand, everything’s going crazy,” Twilight shouted as she desperately tried to save the data they’d already gained. “We’re going to lose what we have, what do we do?”

 

“Don’t worry, we still have the backups,” Carter shouted, pushing Ami and Sunset away from the gear. “Colonel, get Teal’c!”

 

O’Neill jumped up and moved for the door, ripping it open as he ran out while Carter tried to keep control in the room and drew her zat. “Everyone who can, transform now!”

 

As the light show went off behind her, Carter watched as a silver fluid started to ooze out of the equipment. Seeing the substance leaking and pooling onto the floor, her first thought went to the fear of a “gray goo” scenario. “Jupiter, strike that puddle with an electrical surge now!”

Jupiter struck her stance and shouted, “Supreme Thunder!”

 

The lightning slammed into the goo, sparking through it only for the electrical arcs to be absorbed into the goo. The fluid continued to pool together, until it formed a puddle roughly eight feet wide with fluid still leaking out of the smoking equipment. That was when Carter realized that the fluid wasn’t just pooling, it was rising. Drawing her zat, she fired one, twice, with no effect. The puddle continued to rise, becoming a humanoid shape with the top bearing what looked like two sickly yellow eyes. A burbling sound was emitting from it, turning into an electronic tone as the creature’s shape became more human-like. Muscles started to form from the shimmering creature, an angled bald head rising above a muscular physique that was noticeably male even without the proper attachments.

 

Twilight’s mouth hung open even while she was in her transformed outfit. “He’s…Uh, he’s…”

 

Sunset nodded. “S’big.”

 

The creature absorbed the rest of itself and stepped forward on legs with calves the size of two cantaloupes and arms that looks like they could break spines in two. “You pathetic humans! When I’m through with you, the Negaforce will-”

 

Several staff blasts slammed through the paper walls of the shrine building, Teal’c striding in with his staff firing away at the creature. The monster threw up it’s left hand to try and shield its face, the youma’s skin shimmering with each bolt of energy. O’Neill backed it up with his own pistol, the pop-pop-pop of the Beretta mixing with the distinct “whump-whump” of the staff.

 

Daniel knelt behind a tree as the girls outside transformed, waiting for the Senshi a good twenty seconds after the CHS girls were finished. “Someone needs to tell Sunset to get a message to Celestia and Luna, now.”

 

“There’s not much of a way we can,” Rei shouted, as three more staff blasts sounded inside the shrine. “Why aren’t we going in there?”

 

“We don’t know what’s going on, if we go rushing in we don’t know what’s waiting for us.” Daniel heard more staff blasts, then silence. For ten seconds there was nothing, and Daniel’s heart stopped.

 

Teal’c came careening through the paper walls of the temple, landing hard as his staff was thrown out behind him. Filling the hole in the wall he came through was a beast with shimmering silver skin and bright yellow eyes in the shape of a muscular man. “Humans,” it said, the voice sounding like it came out of a synthesizer instead of anything that should be able to speak. Even for Daniel, things like this didn’t speak, they just destroyed things. “Pathetic creatures. I don’t know how you found weapons like these, but be sure that they won’t help you against the Negaforce.”

 

Daniel shrugged. “Talkative, isn’t he?”

 

Rei stepped forward. “How dare you! This is holy and sacred ground, and you defile it! I, Sailor Mars, will-”

 

Daniel started shooting. “Do something already!”

 

Rei jumped at the shooting, but quickly composed herself. “Fire Soul!”

 

A ball of flame jumped from her fingers and slammed into the creature, engulfing it in flames. Rei smiled, watching as the beast…

 

Kept stalking forward.

 

She saw that Daniel wasn’t aiming badly, at this distance she could see each round impact the fluid flesh of the beast and just get absorbed. Five rounds slammed into the monster’s chest and head, but all of them did nothing. The youma kept smiling as it got closer. “What effort is this? A simple, stupid surprise attack will not stop me! You will face your death here Sailor Senshi, you and your servants!”

 

Daniel heard Teal’c pulling himself up, Fluttershy and Rainbow helping him as Pinkie started to bounce around the monster. “We’re not servants, we’re their friends! And any friend of ours is a friend who doesn’t have to face evil ugly monsters alone!” Pinkie grinned, throwing a handful of sprinkles at the beast and watching them explode on contact. The beast vanished from view for a moment, and drops and parts of the monster landed in a small circle. “Ha! Guess I showed him who’s boss.” With a grin, Pinkie blew the top of her index finger.

 

Daniel’s hopes disappeared when he saw one of the pieces twitching. “Uh, might want to hold off on the celebrations Pinkie.” To his horror, he watched as the puddles slithered back to the body and the pieces rolled along the cobblestones to the smoking, reassembling body of the monster. “Crap, nothing’s taking it down.”

 

Carter and the others hurried out of the shrine and saw the monster reassemble itself. “Rarity, when that thing looks like it’s almost whole again put a barrier around it.” Rarity waited until it was so, and as the crystals entrapped the monster it finished reforming in time to have it’s world suddenly restricted to about five feet in every direction. “What is this,” it shouted, quickly slamming on the diamond sphere. “Let me out you human scum, let me out!”

 

O’Neill went over to Teal’c as Fluttershy hefted him back to his feet. “Better big guy?” Teal’c nodded as O’Neill turned to face the temporary prison. “So, how about you telling us what you are huh?”

 

The monster pounded on the diamond prison. “How dare you! I’ll destroy all of you, release me now!”

 

O’Neill shook his head. “See, when you talk about destroying us, that doesn’t make me any more willing to let you loose. Rarity, you want to shrink that thing a little?” Rarity did so, enclosing the monster in a tighter space. “So, you can turn into liquid huh? How long can you survive in a small little tennis ball?”

 

The monster roared, slamming his fists against the side of the diamond sphere in blind abject rage. “Release me, release me now you human!”

 

Teal’c looked to Rarity. “Will you be able to hold him?”

 

“I think so,” Rarity said, wincing with each hit on the diamond. “He’s strong, but I don’t think he can break through without help. I’m more confused on how he got here. I mean how’d he get inside without anyone noticing?”

 

“He hid inside our equipment,” Carter said, pacing the diamond shell. “He sure didn’t come from our universe though, Sunset?”

 

“I’ve never seen anything like this in Equestria or back in Canterlot.” Sunset ran a hand over the outside of the diamond sphere. “Should I try to see inside his mind?”

 

O’Neill waved his hands. “No, nope, not going there yet. Last thing we need is him getting inside your head like he did with the cameras.” Sunset quickly pulled her hand away. “Look, how’d he figure this was the place?”

 

“Wait, Mars you mentioned that the shrine’s been targeted before.” Daniel motioned around, Rei looking confused as he tried to form his thoughts. “Do you have any records, any written accounts of anything that this shrine might be known for?”

 

“A few, but nothing that would make the Negaforce want to attack. They just used it to drain the energy from girls who visited and to try to find one of the Great Youma, that’s all.”

 

“Once is happenstance, yada yada, this is enemy action.” O’Neill glared at the monster’s eyes and tapped on the glass. “If anyone’s listening, you got that? We know you know jerk.”

 

“Wait, what about Principal Celestia and Vice Principal Luna, they’re still out there.” Rainbow grabbed for her phone, but facepalmed when she remembered a key fact. “D’oh! I hate this, why can’t we use our phones here again?”

 

“The technology doesn’t exist yet,” Carter said, holstering her zat. “I’ll call the hotel and leave a message for them to meet us at the shrine.”

 

“Better idea, you and Teal’c head to the hotel and meet them there,” O’Neill said. “We don’t know when they’ll be back, last thing we need is them getting ambushed. I’ll set a perimeter around here, Mars you need to put out a sign that says the shrine’s closed for the day. And where the hell’s Sailor Moon?”

 

Makoto sighed as she checked Daniel’s watch. “Knowing her, she’s probably just getting out of bed. If something was wrong with the shrine she’d still try to find us though, just to know what’s going on.”

 

“I can work with that.” Checking his pistol, O’Neill started scanning. “If anyone knows how to contact him, get Tux here too, we could use whatever help we’ve got.”

 

Artemis trotted over to O’Neill. “Are you really sure that this is all necessary? What if it just calls down more police on us?”

 

“Well you know the cliché about bridges and coming to them,” O’Neill said as Rei ran to the shrine’s offices. “Everyone hunker down and keep an eye out. Fluttershy, can you talk to some of your friends and ask them to help us keep lookout?”

 

Phobos and Deimos cawed to answer O’Neill. Fluttershy giggled and tore off some pieces of bread she’d been carrying. “I don’t think we’ll have any problems with that colonel.”

* * *

Kunzite paced his quarters, hand continually running through/pulling his hair as he tried to figure out what had just happened. Humans with firearms, other beings using crystal abilities unlike any he’d seen during the war between the Dark and Lunar kingdoms. Energy weapons, and they all understood each other!

 

“The humans are obviously giving the orders,” he said to himself. “That doesn’t make sense though, why would they be telling the Senshi what to do? On their own territory?” Staring back at the projection, he watched as the group went about patrolling the shrine. The voices were muffled, but he could tell that the one in charge was the man with the cap and sunglasses. He’d never seen anyone like the dark-skinned man with the cap pulled low over his forehead though, the fact that he carried an energy weapon was worse. Them, they were something Kunzite could handle.

 

It was the other girls that struck the worst kind of fear into his heart. They weren’t using the abilities of the Lunar Kingdom, none of their transformed outfits resembled anything Kunzite had seen before. They were similar yes, more than enough that they might have been inspired by the Kingdom’s Senshi in the past. Their attitudes though, and their abilities? He’d never seen any possessor of the legacy of the past be able to communicate with animals like the pink-haired girl, or to form barriers of diamond out of nothing but the air.

 

“These are some kind of soldiers,” Kunzite said. “It’s been a while, more than a while since I’ve had to go to battle.” Kunzite smiled as he realized the possibility of getting his revenge. “Very well then. Prepare yourself Sailor Senshi. You will pay for what you did to my beloved.”

* * *

 

“Waaaah, I’m so late, Rei’s gonna kill me!”

 

Luna kept pace with her princess with a frown. “Well we wouldn’t have been so late if you hadn’t spent so much time last night talking with Mamoru. Honestly Usagi, you need to learn some self-discipline if you’re to be the princess.”

 

Usagi let out another whine as she ran. “But Luna, if I’m already the princess what do I need to worry about?”

 

Luna sighed. “Honestly Usagi, it’s like you want to be a hopeless little girl for your whole life.”

 

Usagi would have kept going when she saw the stairs leading up to the shrine roped off. On the rope was a small sign: “Closed for maintenance: Forgive us and please be patient”.

 

“Well that’s unusual,” Luna said as she sat before the sign. “Maj. Carter didn’t say there would be any need to close off the shrine for the tests. Perhaps something’s gone wrong?”

 

“Well we should find out,” Usagi said, bounding over the rope and rushing up the stairs. She got halfway up the stairs when a hand grabbed her arm and pulled her into the trees as a hand clapped over her mouth.

 

“Mercury, ask her a question that only she would know the answer to.”

 

Usagi tried to turn to what sounded like O’Neill’s voice but felt the hand force her to hold still. “What did I tell you when my parents started living together again?”

 

Usagi blinked as the hand came away from her mouth. “When did you parents get back together?”

 

There was an exhale of relief. “That’s certainly her.” Ami can into view in her sailor uniform, smiling as she helped Usagi up. “Sorry Usagi, but there was a monster hiding in the cameras and other equipment. If there’s one here, we were worried that others might come since we captured it.”

 

“That and you almost ran into the tripwire,” O’Neill said flatly. “Get transformed now, then call your man and tell him to get his sharp dressed butt over here.”

 

Usagi stood and stamped her foot down. “You could at least apologize for-”

 

O’Neill glared at the girl. “We’re under attack right now kid, and we can’t do anything without risking the cops coming after us. Now either you transform and help us out or get inside the shrine and let us handle things.”

 

Usagi nodded, and after her transformation ran for the shrine’s phone. She didn’t notice through the whole thing that O’Neill had only holstered his pistol when she left.

 

Fluttershy navigated through the trees. “Colonel, Phobos and Deimos just told me that there’s no one else here. They said they’d ask the other birds in the area to help to, but they say there’s nothing to worry about right now.”

 

O’Neill waved at the two crows circling overhead. “Thanks boys. You help pull this off there’s some fish and chips in it for you.” The two crows started to caw excitedly.

 

“That’s the entire perimeter of the shrine then,” Ami said, following O’Neill back to where the youma was being imprisoned. “What do we do about him?”

 

“I told Daniel to try and get some answers,” O’Neill said, sliding on his sunglasses. “I’m not usually much of a talker.”

 

Daniel had taken a knee next to the diamond sphere, Rarity maintaining it just in case the monster made another desperate try to escape. “Okay, do you at least have a name?”

 

The monster roared at Daniel. “You do not need to know my name, just know that I will be the one to destroy you and all here for this insult!”

 

Daniel groaned, turning to Jack and Ami as they walked up. “I can’t get a thing out of him Jack, he just keeps screaming about how he’s going to destroy us and how we’ll all ‘pay for this’ when he’s free.”

 

O’Neill sighed. “Man, I was hoping they’d be a little more original in the bad guy department. But we’re sure he’s not human?”

 

Daniel shook his head. “By all rights calling that thing human is a bit of a leap in logic.”

 

O’Neill nodded. “Kid, can you crush him with that sphere?”

 

Rarity blinked. “Excuse me colonel, but I think I misheard you. You’re saying I should just…just…”

 

O’Neill finished the sentence for her. “Kill him, yep, exactly.”

 

Sunset looked up from her position and turned to O’Neill. “Wait, why are we killing him?”

 

O’Neill looked at Sunset like she’d just asked why people need to breathe air. “Uh, because he isn’t going to be helping us out any more?”

 

“So you’re just going to kill him?” Sunset placed herself between O’Neill and the sphere. “He’s still a living think sir, we shouldn’t just kill him because he isn’t human.”

 

O’Neill pointed to the ruined shrine. “He nearly killed our people in there and won’t give us any actionable intel. I’d call that a good deciding factor, wouldn’t you?”

 

“He’s still a thinking being,” Sunset said, daring to put a foot forward against O’Neill. “Rarity obviously has him contained, we can’t just kill him and think we’re still the good guys.”

 

O’Neill’s face shifted toward Sunset. “Since when did we ever say we were the good guys?”

 

Sunset shook her head for a second. “What are you talking about,” she whispered, stepping back from O’Neill. “I thought you were a group working for good, not a bunch of lunatics who just kill something because it isn’t human, even though it can think and act.”

 

O’Neill pointed at the diamond sphere. “Well you’re the one who's acting like that thing isn’t going to kill us the second it has a chance to get loose. If it’s him or us, it’s gonna be us kid.”

 

Sunset got face to face with O’Neill, glaring straight back at him. “That still doesn’t make it right! He’s a prisoner, we have him under control don’t we? What could he do trapped in that sphere?”

 

O’Neill groaned and turned to Ami. “Mercury, what usually happens when you stop these things?”

 

Ami jumped, hoping she’d been forgotten in the argument. “Oh, uh, well usually Sailor Moon throws her tiara at them and they vaporize.” O’Neill held both his hands toward Ami and looked at Sunet in a gesture that screamed, “Try and wriggle out of _that_ one!”

 

“But this is the first one you’ve ever captured,” Sunset said patiently. “Maybe there’s a way to at least try to talk to him? I mean do we even know why they want to fight you?”

 

“It’s because they attacked and destroyed the kingdom,” Ami said, giving Sunset a look now like she was asking why the grass was green. “None of them have ever given us a reason to believe they had any more reason to attack us than they just hated us for being the reincarnations of the Kingdom.”

 

Sunset stared at Ami for a minute, turning to the sphere with the creature inside. “You’ve never talked to them, how can you be sure they’re all evil?”

 

Ami blinked, looking back to O’Neill. “Well, Teal’c did turn away when you gave him the chance right?”

 

“After he proved he was willing to fight with us,” O’Neill pointed out. “That thing looks more interested in trying to escape and kill us.”

 

Sunset threw out her arms in frustration. “And we’re supposed to just kill everyone we come across who doesn’t instantly act like Teal’c? He’s a prisoner, we can’t kill him when he can’t fight back. I thought you were better than this colonel, I thought you understood that life doesn’t always have to be what we expect it. Haven’t you ever met something that wasn’t living that still didn’t deserve to be destroyed?”

 

“I had something like that inside my head,” O’Neill said, tapping his temple. “I had something like that wind up looking like...Like someone very important to me. The difference was neither one tried to kill anyone I’m supposed to make sure comes back alive.” Sunset’s arms dropped as O’Neill pointed at the monster. “That thing tried to kill everyone inside there, and it doesn’t understand that it’s captured. None of us has a way to hold it prisoner, where could we even try to? Can you keep it in your high school? We don’t have any way to safely store it in the SGC.”

 

Sunset looked to the creature, still scratching and clawing to escape with all the power it still had. It had tried to kill her friends, she wasn’t a complete naïve fool. If Rarity could make the barrier permanent, or if one of the Senshi had a better understanding of their powers…

 

“ _If, if, if,_ ” she thought. “ _You don’t know when they’re coming Sunset. Rarity can’t make more than one barrier at a time and you know it._ ”

 

O’Neill wasn’t waiting for Sunset to puzzle things out. “Mercury, get Moon out here and tell her we need to get rid of this thing now.”

 

As Ami sped off, Sunset reached for the sphere and dared to open her mind just the smallest bit to the monster. She needed to know, needed to be sure.

 

_Death. Screaming. Destruction. Monsters rampaging across manicured gardens and sinking their claws into innocent people in ballgowns and antiquated dress uniforms. Guards trying to defend and failing. A palace being destroyed in fire._

 

Sunset pulled back. The creature turned it’s eyes to her and bared it’s teeth in a sick parody of a smile. “If you want to see more, you’d better show yours.”

 

Sunset glared at the creature, Daniel looking sadly at Sunset. “Rarity? Make sure it doesn’t escape before we kill it.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

 

Celestia realized something was wrong when she saw Carter and Teal’c waiting for them. “Is everything alright?”

 

“The girls are all fine,” Carter said quietly, looking out for anyone taking too much of an interest in the group talking in the lobby. “Something’s happened at the shrine though, we need to get everyone together there and get ready for someone coming after the place.”

 

Luna nodded, the four moving for the door. “How many already struck?”

 

“Just one,” Carter said, Teal’c scanning the street as they moved outside. “It managed to get inside our equipment, and it’s resistant to electrocution and zats. We’ve got it held right now with Rarity but we don’t know if anything else is coming after it.”

 

The four sped from the hotel, moving for the nearest subway station and quickly arriving at the shrine. Carter called out, “Tok’ra.”

 

“Holier than thou.”

 

Carter led the way up to the shrine, bypassing the stairs and finding Sailor Moon talking at the monster. “And for that, in the name of the moon I will punish you!”

 

Daniel shook his head. “Yeah, you missed the part of the speech where she said that the monster is just an ugly brute that should learn manners. I think at this point the monster’s ready to break of just to end the misery.”

 

Carter watched as Rarity lowered the barrier, but before the monster could capitalize on the chance Usagi threw her tiara and destroyed it. Nothing was left of the beast, only the broken equipment and shattered walls remained as a sign it had even existed.

 

“No wonder the cops never had any reason to be suspicious,” Carter said, shocked as she paced the spot the monster had just been as Teal'c handed two pistols to Celestia and Luna. “If you never left any bodies behind before what could they use as evidence?”

 

“The energy that puts out must be incredible though,” Twilight said, feeling the ground underneath where the creature had been. “Not heat radiating though, somehow it just vanished.”

 

“Complete disintegration,” Teal’c whispered. “There are few weapons that can create such effects without secondary clues to the fate of the victim. None are controlled by the Goa’uld.” Daniel looked around quizzically for a second, as if remembering something that had been before shaking the thought away. It probably wasn't important.

 

“Oh we handle all the monsters we face this way,” Usagi said, waving off the reactions. “I mean it’s not like it does any harm right?”

 

“No, but the implications are pretty staggering.” Daniel started walking for another end of the shrine away from the others. “Luna, Artemis, can I talk to you both for a second?”

 

The two cats followed Daniel, the doctor pacing as he quickly collected his thoughts. “Okay, what kind of place was the Lunar Kingdom?”

 

Luna smiled, shutting her eyes as she traveled back into the distant past. “A place of peace, Dr. Jackson. All were content, there was no want or pain. Of course nothing was perfect, but under the rule of our queens there was as close to ultimate peace as one could ever try to imagine.”

 

Daniel shook his head. “No, no, that can’t be the reality.”

 

Luna snapped back from her remembrance and looked at Daniel in confusion. “I’m sorry, what do you mean?”

 

“From what we’ve pieced together so far the kingdom was destroyed in a brutal war and the protectors of the kingdom had weapons that apparently could vaporize their enemies.” Daniel motioned to the Senshi. “I mean how does that add up to a kingdom that was so calm and content it had reached the ‘ultimate peace’?”

 

“Well there had to be some method of defense,” Artemis quickly said. “It isn’t like the entire universe was under the kingdom’s control after all. We had to be prepared for any kind of threats coming from outside that might be hostile.”

 

Daniel nodded, walking back to the main group. He couldn’t shake the suspicion rattling around in the back of his head that the cats were hiding something, or worse were blinded by the glorious past of their kingdom. Whatever the case, he’d have to wait until after they handled the crisis at hand. “Celestia, Luna, sorry but we figured this was kind of important.”

 

“Not complaining,” Celestia said, chambering a round as her sister strapped on an LBV. “Is everyone here?”

 

“We’re still waiting on Chiba to get here, but the perimeter’s secured and Fluttershy’s got the animals watching the area.” Carter led the pair to the shrine and showed them the ruined equipment. “Must’ve got in after we left last night, I think it might have possessed a kind of magnetokinesis able to open and shut the locks from a distance.”

 

Canterlot-Luna took in the sight of the half-melted equipment circled around an empty floor space. “And we're positive it's dead?”

 

O’Neill said flatly, “Sunset had a bit of an issue with it though.”

 

“She’s from a world where we’re pretty sure killing doesn’t exist,” Celestia said calmly, watching as Canterlot-Luna examined the debris for herself as Carter waited patiently. She’d already gone over the gear, of course. Still, having another set of eyes look everything over might pick up something she’d missed. “You’re sure it wasn’t going to give up though?”

 

O’Neill shook his head. “That thing was just gonna get out eventually, it was either take it out now or wait for it to slip out and kill one of ours later.”

 

Celestia nodded her agreement as Canterlot-Luna stood up. “Nearly all the boards and components are melted, whatever this thing was it was able to put out an extreme amount of electrical energy even before Sailor Jupiter zapped it. And you said it was made out of metal?”

 

“At first I thought it was a self-replicating nanite swarm,” Carter said, watching as Luna pulled apart one of the cameras. “Then it coalesced into the form of a human being before we started fighting it.”

 

Canterlot-Luna nodded, taking a look into the camera. “Strange isn’t it? Why didn’t it wait to strike when there weren’t as many of you around? Or even last night, when Sailor Mars was alone? It could have gathered as much intelligence as it wanted on us, but it decided to make it's move. When did it attack?”

 

“Right after Applejack transformed into her outfit,” Carter said. “We’d just done some quick informal tests on how much more strength she has compared to Jupiter. But that’s why it doesn’t make sense.”

 

Twilight raised her hand, O’Neill looking at her incredulously. “Why doesn’t it make sense? Surely it wanted to take the majority of our energy when it had the chance.”

 

“That’s just stupid,” Celestia said, kicking at one of the ruined cables. “It was alone and isolated in what’s essentially an enemy stronghold, attacking now would have only meant being killed or captured. No, there was a reason it chose to act, and if I had to guess frying the majority of the equipment we were about to use was part of the reason. Did it destroy any data?”

 

“I had all data transferred to a backup in the hotel from the past few days,” Carter said. “Unless they know where our hotel rooms are, they should be safe.”

 

Canterlot-Luna nodded, looking at the rest of the damage done during the brief fight. “If just one did this we’ll be in for it when the rest arrive. Add in the fact that the police are on watch now and we have a problem.”

 

O’Neill nodded, looking out on the city sprawling away from them. “We’ve got two days before Rei’s grandpop gets home. We'll head back and wrangle up some support ASAP, try to grab team one or three, they’d probably be best with the police looking around.”

 

Celestia tied up her hair and handed her sister a spare hair tie. “Think it’ll get ugly colonel?”

 

“It’s already ugly,” O’Neill said, watching as the afternoon sun slipped closer to evening. “You didn’t see that thing.”

* * *

Kunzite stared down on the shrine, watching several small figures move about below. He noted several were armed, but some were dressed in outlandish colors that even the Senshi wouldn’t wear. There was no trace of energy from the Negaforce however. They had eliminated his scout.

 

Plumbum stalked up behind Kunzite, each footfall on the roof cracking the concrete. “Your orders, general?”

 

Kunzite pondered. The new players in the game were already willing to do what was necessary to destroy their foes, and he didn’t dare imagine that their new allies were any less capable. “We’ll wait until nightfall, when we’re sure that the Sailor Senshi will be at their least prepared.” Kunzite grinned. “Strike from the rooftops and ensure that they’re all captured alive. Whatever energy they possess, we must take for ourselves.”

 

Ferrum scoffed. “Mercurius should have been able to destroy them all on his own, he deserved to be destroyed by these human fools.”

 

Kunzite shook his head. “I don’t care what happened to Mercurius. Ensure that you capture them, and return them to me without fail.” The general turned to glare the monsters down. “Unless you all wish to experience what Mercurius has for these past weeks.”

* * *

By the time Mamoru arrived (And lovingly stared into Usagi’s eyes long enough that O’Neill had to tell him to take a position) night had fallen over the city. Each girl had called to let their families know they were going to be out for the night, and O’Neill lay atop the roof of one of the shrine’s buildings staring out for any threats. “Alright, all positions report it.”

 

Celestia radioed. “ _North secured._ ”

 

Her sister Luna came in. “ _East holding._ ”

 

Carter dialed in. “ _West standing by, sir._ ”

 

Teal’c keyed in. “ _The South is secured, O’Neill._ ”

 

O’Neill nodded. “Alright, no one let each other out of your sights. Stay hidden and make sure you don’t fall for any traps.” Putting the radio away he turned to Fluttershy. “How’re the birds doing?”

 

“They’re resting for now,” Fluttershy whispered, trying to huddle as close to the rooftop as possible next to O’Neill. Her shaking clearly wasn’t from the cool Spring air alone. “Is there really going to be a fight sir?”

 

“Well you’d have a better chance of going incognito if you weren’t dressed up in giant crystal wings poking out of your back and sequined boots.” O’Neill looked back at Fluttershy’s outfit and shook his head. “Can’t you girls do your stuff without transforming? Fairy Tail doesn’t have to, neither does Korra.”

 

Fluttershy thought over the statement. “Well, I guess we can. But don’t you think there’s a reason we do?”

 

“I’m sure Carter has her theories,” O’Neill said, scanning the rooftops. “For now just transform back to your civies, it’ll at least make you less conspicuous.”

 

Fluttershy quickly did so, a flash of light consuming her before she returned to her typical shirt and skirt. “Better?”

 

O’Neill shrugged. “I’ll make sure the others get inside before they go back.”

 

As the radio check finished, Daniel sat before a pile of old scrolls and relics of the shrine with Rei and Sunset in the basement. The room was filled with dust and the smell of moldering paper, and Daniel suspected that much of what was down here could have been valuable for the archaeologists of Japan if someone had gotten here sooner. Looking back to see Sunset standing idly next to a shelf, he shook his head as he turned back to the pile. “Hard, isn’t it.”

 

Sunset shook her head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

 

“You know we don’t make these decisions lightly,” Daniel said, catching the hard edge in his voice too late to stop it. Taking a breath, he turned away and reinforcing his patience tried again. “You’re right, that thing was intelligent. We’ve faced a lot of intelligent beings that don’t match with how we typically understand biological life.”

 

Sunset glared at Daniel as Rei grabbed another pile of scrolls. “Gee, wonder if they got the same chance.”

 

Daniel took a breath as he read. The style of kana was archaic, but he could at least make out half of the words and fill in the blanks from there. “Well they did, actually, even after they did things like what that creature tried to do. The difference is that when we managed to get them alone and talk they were able to actually talk to us and explain things.”

 

Sunset looked away from Daniel as Rei carried her scrolls to another table. “Daniel, what makes you so sure there’s going to be something important in all these dusty old scrolls?”

 

“Well frankly I’m going out on a limb here,” Daniel said, going for another scroll. “Most of the legends I’ve found the truth behind are just colored by both the attitudes of the people who wrote them down at the time and how we view them in the present. It’s entirely possible that a legendary story or ancient myth might have a clue to what we’re looking for.”

 

Rei looked at Sunset, then both looked at Daniel. “Is that, I mean is that something that happens a lot for you?”

 

Daniel looked up from the scroll. “More than once.”

 

Sunset groaned, pacing about the shelves and scrolls. “I’m not trying to undercut the colonel, I just don’t think it’s right. I mean I just want to make sure that when we have to do that to something, it’s because we’re sure there’s no way we’re killing something that might just be in a bad situation.”

 

Rei smiled back at Sunset. “Hey, that’s what a monster is right? It’s not in a bad situation, it’s always going to be a monster.” Smiling, Rei turned back to the scrolls. “What else are you supposed to do with something that’s so evil?” Sunset grabbed at her arm and lost her voice for a minute.

 

Daniel pointed at the scroll he had. “I think I’ve got it.” Suddenly the weight of Sunset and Rei were on his back, the girls desperate to see what he found. Pushing them off, Daniel tapped at the point on the scroll he’d found. “It says here that the shrine was built to contain a power, apparently Tokugawa Ieyasu was actually nervous about whatever it is that keeps drawing the Dark Kingdom to this shrine.”

 

Rei moved to Daniel’s right to read the scroll herself. “Is that why my family was given the shrine in the first place?”

 

Daniel nodded. “It’s a little hard for me to make out but from what I can tell the Hino family was considered a stalwart and loyal ally of Ieyasu’s quest to control the shogunate. Seems they apparently put some strong wards on the grounds, whatever’s down there scared the shogunate enough that they put a detachment of the most loyal and skilled samurai to keep whatever’s down there where it was.”

 

“That sounds pretty serious,” Sunset said. “Why the decision to do that?”

 

“Well I’m honestly not sure, this section here is probably the one that details what Tokugawa’s reason was but for the life of me the use of adjectives here is throwing me for a loop. All I can make out is that there was a power here, something that the shogunate considered a threat to their rule and too dangerous to use against their enemies.”

 

Rei shook her head. “No way, there’s no way something like that’s under _this_ shrine.”

 

Daniel rolled up the other scrolls and handed some to Sunset to put back. “Maybe that’s true but it’s the only lead we have right now.” Setting his handful back, he grabbed his radio. “Mercury, I need you to try and, I don’t know, scan the grounds for some kind of energy trace?”

* * *

“I’ll start right now.” Putting her visor up, Ami started scanning the ground for a trace of the energy Daniel was looking for. “It’s still rather strange to think about, don’t you think? I mean for an advanced society like the Dark Kingdom to keep focusing on this one shrine.”

 

“To be fair we don’t know the enemy’s objective or their overall strategy,” Luna said, covering Ami as she scanned the shrine. “Have you ever even tried to take one of them prisoner for interrogation?”

 

Ami shook her head, tapping away at her PDA as she went through the grounds. “We’ve been on our own since the start of this, Sailor Venus especially. I don’t think before any of you arrived that we even knew that we might have to start thinking about this as a war.”

 

Luna looked askance at Ami, stopping as Ami knelt down and scanned the soil. “I find that somewhat hard to believe Mercury. Surely at some point you realized your enemies weren’t just trying to steal energy. If SG-1 was going to fire on them it stands to reason that they were dangerous to you as well as the local population.”

 

Ami nodded, more focused on her data for now. “What matters is you’re here now, and with Maj. Carter helping us we might be able to understand what it is we’ve been able to do beyond just knowing it came from the kingdom.”

 

Luna sighed, scanning the skies just to make sure nothing was about to come their way. “Well what are you reading?”

 

Ami shook her head at the question. “It’s unusual to say the least. I’m detecting a field of energy underneath the ground, but it’s not centralized. It’s almost like the field is everywhere.”

 

“We’ll need to reach higher ground later to see just how big it is,” Luna said, taking her radio in hand. “Celly, this target’s a lot bigger than we thought. We’ll head back and see about moving for higher ground in the morning.”

 

Ami looked up in surprise. “No, we can’t just ignore this! I just need a few minutes to adjust what I’m seeing.”

 

“We don’t have that luxury,” Luna said, placing her hand on her pistol. “That thing attacked when it knew it had no chance of escape or even survival. Your enemies are willing to give their lives at the command of their leadership, if you can’t read a situation then you need to step aside.”

 

Ami closed her visor, looking at Luna in confusion. “I don’t understand, I thought we were supposed to be primarily utilized as a research team.”

 

“Given the nature of the MVTF your team also needs to be ready for combat.” Luna led the way back to their position to the East side of the shrine. “My sister and I know that you’re all just as capable as our own students, but you need to start learning quickly. The threats we’re facing aren’t just going to stop and let you finish transforming or pose anymore, that’s what got that one ponytailed enemy of yours killed.”

 

The moment flashed back; Zoisite riddled with bullets and falling from the gantry inside the warehouse. The crunch of his body slamming into the floor and the unnatural angle of his neck as his blood pooled beneath him. “You really think that could happen to us?”

 

“Only if you let it,” Luna said calmly, leading the way back to Twilight and Rarity. “Anything?”

 

“Nothing so far,” Rarity whispered. “There’s barely anyone out there though, why would they come at us if there was no way for them to hide?”

 

“Given that it took a diamond barrier and a disintegration for the monster to be stopped, don’t let your guard down.” Luna settled down into the grass behind one of the trees, wishing she’d had more concealment if something did happen. “Twilight, are you any more comfortable using your abilities now?”

 

Twilight shrugged from behind the rock she'd picked for cover. “I think so. I mean I haven’t been as afraid of Midnight Sparkle taking over, but I don’t think I’ve got complete control over it yet.”

 

“We’ll need to set up some kind of schedule for you all to train with them then,” Luna said flatly. “Ami, what do you all do for training? It might give us some ideas.”

 

Ami shook her head. “We don’t need to train, our powers just come naturally to us.”

 

Luna had to strongly resist burying her head into the ground and screaming.

* * *

The crows started cawing, and O’Neill looked skyward to see several figures speeding down from a skyscraper. “Contact from above, 3 o’clock!” Rolling onto his back O’Neill started firing, pistol rounds popping as Fluttershy screamed. As they closed O’Neill heard them roar and grabbing Fluttershy he pulled the girl up and started running as the roof collapsed behind them. “Everyone send help to the center of the shrine, now!” Turning back, O’Neill saw a monster stalking toward him looking similar to the one that had attacked earlier. The only difference, the eyes were dary gray but still bright. “Alright ugly, you wanna join your buddy in the scrap heap?”

 

“Give me the girl human,” the monster said, smiling as it held out a hand for Fluttershy. “Your arms will do nothing to harm me but give me the girl and your life will be spared.”

 

Applejack suddenly jumped up on the roof and slugged the creature across the face. “He might not hurt you, but how ‘bout me! Fluttershy, get moving consarnit!”

 

Fluttershy nodded, lowering herself to the pavement as O’Neill circled to Applejack’s right. “See buddy? This ain’t gonna be easy on you. Now start talking or we’re gonna make your face look even worse.”

 

The monster snarled, feeling at the dent Applejack left in his face. “So, you really are like the Senshi. Funny, your energy is clearly on another level than theirs.”

 

Applejack’s fist managed to somehow clench harder. “So why’re you after them then? Just clear outta here, you’re the ones attacking us.”

 

The monster stalked for Applejack, each footfall cracking the tiles on the roof. “Kunzite has ordered otherwise.”

 

A flash of rainbow light spun the monster around, Rainbow laughing as she swung around for another pass. “That’s what you think!

 

A shape jumped up in the moonlight, and Minako landed on the roof pointing at the monster. “You’re not welcome at this sacred place, monster! Leave now and we won’t destroy you!”

 

The monster grinned at the sight of the four surrounding him. That was when his brother youma burst out from the building underneath and surrounded the four enemies. “Perhaps you’d like to rethink that offer Sailor Venus-”

 

“Applejack, start hitting him!”

 

As the creature turned to face O’Neill, Applejack started laying into the monster. Her fists drove hard into the thing’s face, each hit letting a dull ring sound in the night. Fire concentrated into the center of the shrine, pistol rounds sparking as they hit the monsters as Senshi powers and Equestrian magic lit up the shrine.

 

Carter ducked behind a tree to reload as Pinkie threw another handful of sprinkles at one of the monsters. “Are you doing anything to them?”

 

There was a blast a half-second later and Pinkie tried to peer through the smoke. “I don’t know, but I know they can’t see us either.” Pinkie’s smug smile vanished when one of the youma burst through the smoke charging straight for Pinkie.

 

A rose slammed into the ground before it, hard enough to keep it upright and stop the monster where it stood. “A poor, innocent high schooler being attacked by a monster like you is something no man can abide idly. Know that-”

 

Carter grabbed Pinkie and started running. “Stop talking, kill it!”

 

Mamoru blinked, remembering that these creatures could kill people he cared about if he didn’t act. Jumping down from the tree he was in, he drew a broadsword and rushed the monster with a roar. The monster held its arms before its face, and the blade struck between the monster’s hands. “Heh, with a weak man like you protecting them these girls have no chance of surviving!”

 

Mamoru drew back, trying to find a way to drew his blade through the monster. His blade was swift, flashing through the air and sparking against the monster’s metal flesh. The beast bellowed a laugh, swinging back at Mamoru with glee. “When I’m done, I’ll make sure you watch as we drain the Senshi of all their energy!”

 

Suddenly the creature lifted up into the air, body surrounded by a purple light. “What? What is this? No, let me down! What is this, what’s happening?”

 

Twilight stepped into view, right hand in the air as she held the creature aloft. “Now!”

 

Mamoru seized the chance, slicing as stabbing at the beast to no effect. The monster laughed, still struggling despite being held aloft. Twilight started to strain, her arm pulling back as the beast kept moving. “You have to stop him, I can’t hold him much longer!”

 

Celestia ran on the scene, watching as Mamoru kept slicing at the monster’s writhing body. The creature kept laughing, the purple glow around it’s body starting to fade. Rushing over, she wrenched the blade out of Mamoru’s hand and as the creature laughed again shoved the blade through the monster’s mouth through to the other side of its skull. Yanking the blade back out, Celestia grabbed Mamoru and Twilight. “C’mon, we need to keep moving.”

 

The shrine had turned to ruin, energy blasts flying through the air as metal monsters soaked in 9mm rounds. Sunset faced off against one of the monsters, deflecting its wild haymakers with her own skilled parries and dodges. Rarity had encased one in a new diamond sphere as Teal’c grappled with another two feet away. Above the din was Sailor Moon, screaming in terror as she was chased by three of the monsters around the shrine.

 

O’Neill jumped off the roof, rolling as he landed and turned to see Carter, Pinkie, and Mamoru running over. “Tell me you managed to kill one of these things!”

 

“Just one,” Carter shouted back. “Any luck here?”

 

Makoto and another monster came tumbling through the side of one of the buildings. “Just start killing these things!”

 

Carter nodded. “Go for the mouth, I’m pretty sure it’s their only weakness.”

 

Kunzite watched from one of the buildings overlooking the shrine, observing with a cold wrath at the sight below. Two of his warriors dead now, and no closer to a victory or finding the silver crystal. If he was going to get any closer to his vengeance, he’d need to act.

 

Jumping down from the building, Kunzite quickly scanned the area and picked his target. He ran for the woman, snapping her in his arms and shouting out, “All of you move!”

 

O’Neill’s pistol went up, but he cursed as he saw Kunzite leap away with a figure in his arms and followed by the monsters. Even Rarity's new prisoner had escaped, the fashionista distracted enough to lose control of her diamond. “Everyone get to the courtyard, now!”

 

Everyone was gathered together, and O’Neill didn’t take long when he noticed what hair color wasn’t there. “Christ, he got Applejack.”

 

The Senshi gasped. The CHS Seven looked ready to panic. Celestia and Luna didn’t react, and Luna spoke up. “We’ll take the girls back to the SGC, who should we take as the rescue party?”

 

“MV-1, they’re our best bet.” O’Neill turned to the Senshi and started to speak when he heard the sirens. “Crap, I was worried this would happen. Girls, get outta here and somewhere safe. Meet us at the hotel we’re staying at and we’ll figure things out from there.”

 

Rainbow’s mouth fell open at the idea. “Are you kidding me? They just took Applejack, we’ve gotta get her back before-”

 

“We will get her back,” Celestia said, kneeling down to look Rainbow in the eye even as the sirens closed. “We will come back as soon as we get the help we need, if we just ran after them we’d be putting ourselves and Applejack in danger.”

 

The sirens were just outside the shrine now, O’Neill storming over. “Warm fuzzies later, fall back now!” Rainbow and Sunset both hesitated to press their recall bracelets, until Luna did it for them. The Senshi started running, hopping through the streets and alleys as Tokyo PD swarmed the shrine and took in the damage.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

 

Kunzite smiled, stalking through the hideout as he watched the girl struggle to escape her bonds. “You’re wasting your time and our energy. We didn’t take you prisoner just so you could escape after all.”

 

Applejack glared up at Kunzite. “Well let me outta here and I’ll show you what takin’ me prisoner really looks like.”

 

Kunzite laughed, his youma surrounding Applejack in the hideout’s main room. “As much as I’d like to see you squirm, my time is more valuable than wasting it on your talk. Now, yield your energy to the Negaforce.”

 

Applejack watched as the man twisted his hand on the balcony above her, and wondered what he was trying to do when she felt a pressure surging in her chest. It wasn’t painful, but it was uncomfortable in a way she’d only experienced when she’d had to face her first time with Equestrian magic. Straining against the shackles around her wrists and ankles, Applejack thought she might have been able to at least rip them out of the walls. Then she felt pain as she tried to free herself, the metal cutting into her until she had to fall back against the wall. “What…What in tarnation are you doing to me?”

 

Kunzite laughed again, watching as the energy pooled into his hands. “A shame that you have such raw power and don’t even know how to use it.”

 

Applejack gritted her teeth and tried to ignore the feeling of her insides being twisted around as he pulled out her magic. “Eengh, maybe it’ll help you learn some styling tips. I’m no Rarity, but even I think the whole long hair look isn’t good on you buddy.”

 

Kunzite stopped, clutching the power he’d already taken safely away as he stared down at the girl. “What?”

 

Applejack gave a grin. “You heard me ya varmint! What’s wrong, all that bleach you use somehow make you deaf too?”

 

Kunzite blinked, trying to regain some sense of what was going on. “You don’t understand, you’re my prisoner. You’ll be drained of all your energy, and be given as a sacrifice to the Negaforce!”

 

Applejack rolled her eyes. “Jeez, you do talk a lot.”

 

Kunzite shook his head, pointing down at Applejack with rage burning through his eyes. “No, I will not be mocked by a child!”

 

Applejack couldn’t resist. “Hasn’t stopped me so far.”

 

Kunzite lost his train of thought for a minute, trying to figure out just what happened. The girl kept grinning up at him, breathing hard from losing her energy but still strong enough to mock him. In his own hideout! Shaking his head, Kunzite turned away and stormed up the stairs to one last taunt.

 

“And don’t go near any jet engines if you’re wearing that getup!”

 

Slamming the door behind him, he glared at the assembled creatures before him. “I want you all to make sure she can’t escape, and kill anyone who comes to save her!” Before any of the youma could question him, Kunzite teleported back to his chambers and began pacing again.

 

“ _They’re fighting my forces, they’re actually_ fighting _them? No, no humans have ever seen us before now._ ” Glaring up at the image of the girl still straining against the chains, Kunzite tried to clear his head. “She’s just a single girl, she might be strong as three of my warriors but she’s just a girl. She can’t escape, and the energy she possesses?” Kunzite opened his fist and looked down at the energy he’d managed to take from her. “This is powerful, far too powerful to ignore.”

 

“ _Far too powerful for Beryl?_ ”

 

Kunzite didn’t know where the thought came from, but it wasn’t something he could just ignore. Had Queen Beryl really been that great a leader? She had led them against the Lunar Kingdom, deposed Queen Serenity, but since then? Lording over a kingdom under the Earth as the humans and survivors of the Moon ruled the planet? She waited for the right moment, gathering energy, but where was the true action? They’d been waiting for centuries to finally strike, sneaking energy here and there like starving dogs in an alley when there were hospitals full of fresh and untapped power, labs full of brilliant minds, easy targets for their needs to gain power and seize full control.

 

“ _We haven’t recovered any of the Great Youma, Jadeite and Nephrite both failed, Zoisite…_ ” Kunzite clenched his fist around the energy and stored it away again. “ _There’s no reason to act yet. Beryl still has the Negaforce, we can still gain power._ ” Looking up at the image of the girl still trying to escape, Kunzite suddenly realized that his left hand was running through his hair. Shaking his head, he ignored his hair for the time being and laid his hand on Zoisite’s coffin.

 

“We’ll remain loyal,” he whispered. “So long as we know what’s going to happen next.”

* * *

O’Neill grabbed fresh magazines, loading up and strapping on his P90 in the base armory. “Alright, Ami can use her visor to track the bad guys and we kill everything in that room.”

 

Erza nodded, strapping on her pistol as Lucy summoned Loke. “We’re sure that these things can be fought then?”

 

“Well bullets and zats aren’t working,” O’Neill said. “What’s really important is that we get Applejack back safe and sound. Everything else is secondary.”

 

Gray pulled on a light jacket, his pistol on a shoulder strap. “What happens if they drained her though?”

 

Teal’c’s eyes narrowed. “They will only live long enough to regret their actions.”

 

Celestia and Luna checked their students over, though only Sunset had opted to carry a pistol. The others still looked at the weapons like they were dangerous, and after word had gotten around about Carter’s reaction no one wanted to risk the full force of her anger. Speaking of, Luna finished and turned to Carter. “Major, what are you doing with that?”

 

Carter looked up with a grin as she finished making adjustments on her new device, a metal frame with a long hose running along the center of the device. “Those creatures were made out of a living metal, that made me think that we need an oxidizer. Even if they are metal, the fact that they’re living beings might just give us a way to utilize this.” Carter held up a canister with a grin, the canister itself marked with a small circle lit up with flame. “Potassium peroxymonosulfate.”

 

Twilight blinked, carefully pointing at the canister and the kitbashed sprayer it was attached to. “That, that’s designed to strip away metal.”

 

“It’ll weaken their skin, possibly even make them vulnerable to our weapons.” Carter tightened the valves, making sure that the system couldn’t leak for now as she disassembled the system and put it into a backpack. “We’ll have to use this first, but once they get a good coating or two they should be vulnerable to what we have.”

 

Twilight cringed a little. “You’re _sure_ it isn’t gonna hurt them too bad?”

 

Celestia stepped in before O’Neill could say something that would give the girls the wrong impression she wanted them to have. “Applejack is in danger Twilight, and those creatures are a threat we can’t ignore. If they come at us again, we might not have the numbers or tools to push them back again if we’re going out in teams like this. We need to make sure that when we strike them, they can _never_ come after us ever again.”

 

O’Neill nodded. “Couldn’t have said it better myself.” Suited up and ready, O’Neill led the way to the gate.

 

“ _SG-1, MV-1, MV-7, you have a go._ ” Gen. Hammond watched as the gate ripped open the way to U-381-G. “ _You bring that cowgirl home colonel, Godspeed._ ”

 

Rushing through the portal, O’Neill saw that the alley hadn’t changed since the last gate. Still dressed in their street wear the teams rushed for the hotel, not daring to separate or take their eyes off each other. As they moved through Azabu they cut a swathe, anyone in their way quickly realizing the strange collection of foreigners were there for business. SG-1 led the way through the city, faces hard as they lead the vanguard. Celestia and Luna took the sides of their students, watching the flanks for any danger. Fairy Tail kept the rear, Erza striding forward with a purpose of a woman scorned and the expressions on Lucy, Gray, and Loke not far behind.

 

It was the looks on the CHS Seven that were the most telling. Rainbow Dash was livid, fists clenched tightly and teeth bared as she stormed behind SG-1. Sunset and Rarity weren’t too far, glaring ahead with a strong focus and sharp eyes. Pinkie was still smiling, skipping along but with the Devil’s grin rather than her typical blithe eyes. Fluttershy and Twilight looked the worse for what they were doing. Fluttershy looked everywhere, eyes flitting from window to window and door to door trying to figure out where the eventual danger would come from. Twilight just couldn’t take her eyes off Carter’s pack.

* * *

Rei stared at her family’s shrine with anger. The Dark Kingdom had been dangerous before but this was different. Before there had never been property damage that couldn’t be easily explained, even at the airport there was never any lasting damage. Buildings were ruined, clay roof tiles broken everywhere with walls torn through and pavement cracked. Even when her grandfather had turned into a youma there hadn’t been so much destruction.

 

The detective that had been questioning her finished scribbling down his notes about Rei’s “slumber party” last night. “Well miss, we’ll get on it immediately. If you can think of anyone who would want to do this, just let us know.”

 

Rei nodded, but could overhear the officer whisper to his partner as he left, “Well, guess it really was only a matter of time before we’d have to go after them.”

 

Rei went inside herself. Being a Senshi had been fun before, sure there were dangers but it was an incredible danger. Being able to bend fire itself to her will, to fight evil and stand as a guardian of justice. Now, now the Negaforce threatened to steal that from her.

 

Checking that she had everything, she went for the hotel and saw Minako already waiting there. “Where’s everyone else?”

 

“They’re on the way,” Minako said, slumped back in one of the lobby’s comfortable chairs. “The MVTF changed this entire thing Rei. The Dark Kingdom never acted like this before, now they’re becoming even more brazen.”

 

Rei looked to Minako questioningly. “Do you think we should stay away from the MVTF then?”

 

Minako shook her head, leaning forward in thought. “Even if we did, there wouldn’t be a way to turn the clock back to the way things were. For all we know, they would have become this kind of problem anyway if enough time had gone by. Back in England, I saw that the Negaforce was capable of doing low and dirty deeds to gain energy. We’ve seen what they’re willing to do to get it, even to children and the elderly.”

 

Rei nodded. “You’re not wrong. Turning grandpa into that monster, what they did to Mika Kayama, maybe we were just fooling ourselves.”

 

“Hey.” The two turned to see Makoto and Ami walking in, settling into spaces next to their friends. “Did the police figure anything out?”

 

“They just asked me a few stupid questions about how it might have been some gang and they'll do their best to find them.” Rei groaned, shaking her head as she remembered what happened. “You could tell from the looks on their faces, they didn’t know what to make of the bullet casings or the half-melted equipment. When I looked where that one had died I saw where it fell but couldn’t find a body. I don’t think they want to admit it existed.”

 

“Probably for the best,” Ami said calmly. “If they can’t find a way to replicate it, they can’t make anything like it. If I had to guess, they’ll just melt it down and pretend it was never even there.”

 

The four sat in silence for a few minutes, thinking about the implications of what happened last night. No one had to say anything, the same fact was obvious to them all. The game had been changed forever, and they could either face the reality of be killed by their refusal to see the truth.

 

Usagi and Mamoru came in a half hour later, Usagi looking shaken and Mamoru holding her close. Rei got up and went to her friend, no, her princess and looked her over. “Usagi, are you alright?”

 

“The police Rei,” Usagi whispered, sitting down in a small seat next to Mamoru. “I’ve never been as scared as that moment. That was the first time I thought it might all be over, I mean how can we do this when the police want to stop us now?”

 

“We remember why we decided to accept the truth in the first place,” Minako said, face solid as she went over to join her friends. “Each of us is a reincarnation of our kingdom. We’re here to make sure what happened then can never happen again.” Ami and Makoto went over, all of them placing their hands in the center of the small circle. Usagi’s eyes started to water, but she steeled herself and put her hand with her friends. “We’re going to help save Applejack, and we’ll show Kunzite just who he’s messing with.”

 

“Good, because we’re here.”

 

The six turned to see O’Neill and the others storm in, the hotel staff and other guests staring in confusion at the group of angry foreigners, a man in a fedora and carrying a briefcase barely dodging out of their way. “Alright, let’s get to the rooms and get started.”

* * *

Safely upstairs, Ami adjusted her visor appropriately. “If Applejack’s energy signature remained constant through the city, we should be able to follow it right back to where they took her without issue.”

 

“Good, we’ll spread through the city and start looking. Sunset, you guys start taking the equipment we still have and get it back to the SGC.”

 

Rainbow jumped up. “No way, we’re not leaving until we know Applejack is safe!”

 

O’Neill looked to Celestia. “What do you think? They really ready?”

 

Celestia glanced at Luna, then stared into her students. “Girls, what’s about to happen here is going to involve death.”

 

Sunset looked on her principal with confusion. “So did what happened when we met MV-9, how is this going to be different?”

 

Celestia looked right into Sunset’s eyes. “Because if it comes down to it, you all may have to do the killing.”

 

Sunset’s expression fell apart, though Pinkie raised a hand. “Uh, I thought these monster metal things weren’t good guys, did I miss something here?”

 

Teal’c looked down at Pinkie Pie harshly. “That is the attitude that will force you to remain here as we pursue this mission. You all may know how to fight, but you do not understand true combat.”

 

“Just start moving the gear back girls,” Luna said flatly. “We’ll stay here with you, SG-1 and MV-1 will handle the fighting.

 

Rainbow shook her head, stepping in front of the girls. “No way, I’m not just gonna abandon one of my friends when she’s been taken by monsters!”

 

Celestia’s face was tightening, Luna doing the glaring for her every time Rainbow tried to make an argument. “Rainbow Dash, O’Neill is right in his assessment. You’re not ready to go on a mission like this, none of your abilities were truly effective against the monsters you’ve faced here.”

 

“But Applejack’s in trouble,” Rainbow shouted. “This guy’s gotta pay for what he did right?”

 

“He will pay, but the priority is getting Applejack to safety.” Celestia was glaring at Rainbow now, a hard edge pushing into her voice. “You will take the equipment back to the SGC and let them handle rescuing Applejack.”

 

“But-“

 

“ ** _ENOUGH!_** ”

 

There it was, the command voice. SG-1 had been expecting it, so had Luna. The Senshi and the wizards hadn’t, they’d never heard anything like it before. They jumped back, Erza watched in shock as the CHS girls flinched and Fluttershy cowered under the nearest bed. Rainbow’s expression went from righteous indignation to terrified shock in less than a heartbeat.

 

“All of you are going to listen to what Col. O’Neill is saying, you are going to take that equipment to the SGC, and you will do it without any more argument, am I perfectly clear?” Everyone knew it wasn’t really a question.

 

Sunset did her best to gather herself together again. “We’ll take them back right now.” Pulling Rainbow back and coaxing Fluttershy out from under the blankets, she started guiding the girls to start collecting the equipment.

 

O’Neill gave a nod to Celestia and led the rescue party out of the hotel. “That was so scary,” Lucy said, still shuddering from what had just happened. “I only thought Master could ever get that frightening.”

 

“She’s protecting her students,” Carter noted as the teams moved through the hotel lobby again. “If Rainbow was going to keep trying to argue, she had no choice but to lay down the law.”

 

“Let’s keep focused,” O’Neill said flatly. “Blue, once we get back to the shrine I want you to get tracking on that energy signature. Once we find the source we’ll move in and get Applejack out.”

 

Arriving back at the shrine, Daniel sighed at the sight. Another ancient site destroyed, but at least it wasn’t the Goa’uld for a change. “Rei, what kind of help are you gonna need to put this all together?”

 

“Well the shrine has some money for emergency repairs and damages,” she said quietly, running a hand along a cracked torii gate. “I don’t know if we have enough for this much though.”

 

Erza nodded. “Colonel, perhaps we could make it a point to help Rei rebuild the shrine without needing to spend the money?”

 

“I’ll put it to Gen. Hammond,” O’Neill said. “ _Might go better than that first get-together._ ”

 

Ami was already tapping away at her computer, trying to zero in on the monstrous energy but getting nothing. “It’s no good, those things didn’t give off any noticeable energy signatures that I can find.”

 

Carter thought for a second. “Try looking for Applejack’s energy, see if you can get a trace on it instead.”

 

Ami did so and nodded. “I’ve got it, it looks like it’s leading North.”

 

“Let’s get moving then,” O’Neill said. “Don’t want to keep the freaks waiting.”

* * *

Artemis and Luna stared down at the console Artemis installed in Minako’s bedroom, trawling through the records of the kingdom. “You’re taking this awfully personal Luna. Don’t you think that maybe Daniel’s just drawing the wrong conclusions?”

 

“He’s a historian, it’s his job to build a picture on the past based on what he knows.” Pulling up records just before the fall, Luna smiled as she read through. “There, you see? Reports from the kingdom, showing that the economy was growing and that the people were content along with supplemental reports from Mars, Venus, and Jupiter.”

 

Artemis looked at the results for himself, reading over the files and settling down next to Luna. “I guess you’re right. Well we have to wait for them to save Applejack first, but I think this should help him settle the issue.”

* * *

After two hours of walking, the teams came on a small, almost unnoticeable office building. There was no sign on the building, no clue as to who owned it, to Lucy it looked like the place had almost been left to stand without any idea of what happened to the owners. “Yikes, are you sure this is the place?”

 

Ami nodded, showing the results to the teams. “It’s all here, this is the strongest signal coming from Applejack’s energy.”

 

“Well no reason not to make sure,” O’Neill said. “Alright, we’re gonna mix it up on them. Moon, you and your team stay out here and make sure no one gets in or out before we’re done. Erza, armor up and take point. Carter, once we’re clear inside get that thing set to go.”

 

As SG-1 and MV-1 moved inside the building, Mamoru walked up to O’Neill. “Wait, why are you all going in? Shouldn’t we be there to help?”

 

O’Neill jerked a thumb to Makoto. “Those things didn’t even blink when she shocked them, and they didn’t react when the others used their attacks on them. Your swords and rose didn’t do much, they’re getting smarter about who they bring up against you guys. If we bring you guys down you might just get in the way, and with the cops looking for you all dressed up we can’t risk someone seeing you out here. Just hold the outside and wait for us.”

 

As the two teams moved inside, Makoto looked at them moving into the darkened building with Carter hefting the sprayer in-hand at the ready. “Do you really think we should just let them go? I mean they had our help back at the shrine.”

 

“They didn’t have our help,” Minako said, as Usagi moved close to Mamoru. “We had theirs.”

 

Safely inside, O’Neill signaled that it was safe to pull their weapons. Unzipping his jacket, O’Neill put his P90 in his shoulder as Carter adjusted the valves on the sprayer. Teal’c, Daniel, and Lucy were carrying pistols as Erza requipped into her yellow Giant armor. Each footstep echoed through the barren lobby, clanging footsteps marking her position.

 

Daniel looked to the stairs and elevator in the center of the building. “Well Jack, up or down?”

 

“Well I never did much like dealing with the management,” Jack said flatly. He motioned for the team to form up at the door, Erza taking point as everyone stacked up. Erza ripped the door open, keeping one gauntlet before her face as she scanned the stairway. “Nothing here O’Neill, but it’s pretty dark down there. What do you think?”

 

“Can you move down the stairs?”

 

Turning sideways, Erza just barely managed to fit her armor through the entry. “I think so.”

 

“Well what’re we waiting for, Gray to learn how to keep his pants on?”

 

“Gah! I told you it was too warm here!”

* * *

Kunzite watched as the two groups slipped into the building, a third waiting outside made up of what he had to presume were the Senshi; the same girl “Makoto” was there with the others. There was a man present too, and something about him was tugging at Kunzite’s memories. “ _Mark that for later, focus on the two in the building._ ”

 

One was another group of beings with different energies than the Senshi, one of them even felt as if he were one of the youma under Kunzite’s command. “ _None of my subordinates has come to me reporting any deserters. Then how did they find this one?_ ”

 

Watching as the two groups made their way down the stairs, he looked back on the Senshi. They weren’t doing anything, just standing outside the building and watching the street. “ _Strange, if one of them is the lost princess why isn’t she taking the lead?_ ”

 

Watching, the saw the woman in armor move to the basement door and pause. “O’Neill, what now?”

 

The older man gave a bemused look. “Well I was gonna say open the door.”

 

Kunzite realized something. These ones were experienced, seasoned and not easily rattled. They would undoubtedly find a way to break in, save the prisoner and kill his youma. The Senshi, they weren’t. They were still children even if they were the reincarnations of the greatest warriors of the Lunar Kingdom. They might be more vulnerable then?

 

Rising from his seat, the general moved to travel to the hideout when he stopped. “ _The Senshi may still have learned from these humans, being clever and dangerous…_ ”

 

Taking a ribbon in hand, Kunzite tied the green strip of cloth around his silver mane and smiled to Zoisite before teleporting.

 

“Hello Sailor Senshi.”

 

Everyone jumped, looking across the street to see the man that had led the attack on the shrine smiling at them. “Don’t worry, if I were going to kill you you’d already be lying cold on the ground.”

 

“Who are you,” Minako said, the girls reaching for their transformation pens. “Are you one of Beryl’s generals?”

 

Mamoru nodded, realization giving way to bitterness. “Kunzite. So, this is what became of you?”

 

Kunzite blinked, struck by his own revelation. “Prince Endymion?” Kunzite’s expression darkened sharply. “Better what happened to me than what you did to us.”

 

“What I did!” Mamoru stepped forward, fists balled as veins began to throb in his temple. “I did what was right for my kingdom, my people! For _you!_ ”

 

“You didn’t give a damn about us,” Kunzite growled. “You just wanted to become part of the Kingdom’s royalty, to save your own hide.” Taking a breath, Kunzite smiled. “But now I know for sure the fate of the princess. Tell me, how does it feel to know that everything your mother did was for nothing?”

 

Usagi glared at Kunzite, stepping around Mamoru and glaring at Kunzite with fury flashing in her eyes. “What do you know about everything being for nothing? The last general we faced got shot and died, you don’t stand a chance against them!”

 

Something snapped in Kunzite’s mind, and with a flash a crystal blade formed in his hands. Roaring, he rushed at Usagi and raised his blade to strike her down. Before he could, Mamoru caught his hands as Makoto kicked at his legs. Kunzite jumped away, his face barely human as he glared at the six. “Don’t you _dare_ talk about him like he was nothing!” With another animal roar, Kunzite sprinted for Mamoru and Usagi.

* * *

Erza launched the last door off its hinges into the holding room, striding inside to see it empty except for Applejack chained to the back of the room. “Hoo-ey! Glad to see ya’ Erza! You’re a better sight than Granny’s apple tarts after Friday supper!”

 

“Country wisdom later, escape now.” O’Neill motioned for the team to take positions around the room, but there wasn’t any sign of any enemy. Just a balcony looking down on Applejack and empty space. The walls and floor were metal, dull and thick. Somehow the room was still lit though, he’d have to ask Carter for her theory later. “Can any of you break those chains?”

 

“Give me a moment colonel,” Erza said, walking over and grabbing at the metal links. With a loud grunt and clear force, she pulled at the chains. Either the mounting would break or one of the links would, but either way they would get Applejack free.

 

“Better hurry, I don’t know where those things got to but they can’t have gone far. The one with the silver hair told them to stick around.”

 

Daniel shook his head. “We didn’t see anyone upstairs and no one came after us on the way down, maybe they went back?”

 

“Or perhaps they were waiting her the entire time.” Daniel was about to ask what Teal’c was talking about when he saw it, the walls were shifting. Claws and demonic faces started to form and force their way from the metal sheets, snarling at the team as their bodies ripped away from their hiding spot.

 

Carter adjusted the valve. “Everyone stand back!” Before the monsters could move, Carter pulled the trigger and started spraying. The beasts looked over in confusion for a second, before throwing up their arms to try and shield themselves. The mixture coated them all, but when Carter finished the monsters looked at their soaked skin and realized nothing had happened.

 

“Looks like your pathetic plan didn’t even have a chance,” one of the beasts growled. “What, did you think that we’d just start rusting away from just a little…water…”

 

The monsters started to grab at their flesh. They began to grunt and moan, which swiftly became shouts and cries. Carter grinned, spraying them down more. “It’s working, their skin's being corroded!”

 

The teams launched into the fight, O’Neill firing at one of the monsters and watching as several of his rounds ripped through the skin like aluminum foil. The beast roared, there was still plenty of fight left in it as it swiped at O’Neill. Jumping back, O’Neill pumped another burst into the creature.

 

Applejack watched as Carter kept spraying the monsters, Gray freezing one of them in a solid block of ice up to the waist only for Loke to kick it in half. Applejack’s eyes were wide, even knowing that these were the things that captured her she’d never imagined such a fight. The creatures that weren’t being handled were too busy clutching at themselves, trying to hold on to their flesh as pieces of it flaked away. One of the monsters grabbed at its face, chucks of metal falling out and distorting its already inhuman voice to something utterly alien. One of the beasts tried to hold on to its right arm, too late to save the limb as it broke off and landed with a dull clang on the floor.

 

The chains finally gave way, Erza scooping up Applejack and moving for the door. “I’ve got her colonel!”

 

“Everyone get to the door!” O’Neill finished his clip and reloaded, counting the team before moving for the door himself. It wasn’t much of a risk though, whatever monsters were left had been forced to the floor as they literally went to pieces.

 

Kunzite saw figures moving inside the building, and smiled as he jumped away from his swipe at Mamoru. “Well my dear prince and princess, enjoy today while it lasts!” With a mocking laugh he vanished, leaving the Senshi with more questions than before.

 

“Alright, we got Applejack out,” O’Neill shouted as the team rushed through the front doors. “C’mon, let’s get outta here before more of those goons show up.”

 

“Don’t worry,” Minako said, glaring at where Kunzite had been. “They won’t be coming back here again.”

* * *

Yuuichirou stared in shock at the damage to the shrine, Rei’s grandfather was at a loss for words surveying the damage to his home. “Woah, like what happened?”

 

“The police say it was a gang running wild,” Rei said apologetically. The pair had returned the day after the rescue, and Rei could only parrot what the police had told her. “I’m sorry grandpa, I shouldn’t have been away when it happened.”

 

“It’s better you had been,” Rei’s grandpa said quietly. “I can’t imagine what might have happened if you’d been here when they came through. Thank goodness you decided to sleep over with your friends instead.”

 

Rei smiled, hugging her grandfather as she looked over the shrine. “But the damage? How are we going to fix it?”

 

Yuuichirou shrugged. “Maybe I can ask my parents for help? I mean they said they’re looking to find a good cause to donate to.”

 

Rei laughed, clapping her hands and hugging Yuuichirou. “That’d be perfect!”

 

In the distance, O’Neill shrugged. “Well, guess we don’t have to put in the work after all. Good thing, I had some fishing planned.” He turned to see Daniel still staring at the shrine. “Something wrong?”

 

“There’s something about this shrine Jack,” Daniel said, holding the files the cats had given him. “Ieyasu wasn’t a man who just took things lightly, he recognized problems and dealt with them. Whatever’s under the shrine is something we’ll have to come back to.”

 

“Later Daniel,” O’Neill said, grunting as he stretched his back. “Right now let’s just head back to the base and see about getting some rest. Think we should send MV-1 a fruit basket or something?”

 

Teal’c’s eyebrow rose. “Would a type of alcohol not be a more appropriate gift O’Neill?”

 

“Not if we don’t want their government coming down on us it isn’t.”

* * *

Sunset looked back on Applejack in the backseat of Luna’s car. Her friend had been quiet since she’d returned to the SGC, but when she came out of the infirmary there hadn’t been any marks or bandages on her. Still, Celestia and Luna had wrapped her in a blanket and carefully guided her back, Luna handing her water and cookies from the nearest vending machine.

 

“Applejack, you okay?”

 

Applejack nodded, shaking her head clear as she looked to Sunset. “Oh, yeah, I’m fine Sunset. Just, you know, trying to make sense of what happened down there.”

 

Sunset put a hand to her mouth. “Applejack, they didn’t torture you did they?”

 

Applejack shook her head. “What? Naw, no they didn’t torture me. Heck, I gave that one with the silver hair a good what-for even chained up.” Applejack grinned at the thought, but it vanished in a blink. “It’s what happened when SG-1 came to get me out.”

 

Sunset looked to Luna for a hint, but the vice principal didn’t react. “What do you mean?”

 

“Well they came down, ready for a fight, but when the fighting started? I mean, those things just started screaming, and trying to hold themselves together, and had their arms falling off…” Applejack shuddered. “I know we’ve seen some crazy stuff Sunset, but I think if the bad guys ever get SG-1 mad ever again?” Applejack went back to looking out the window and seeing nothing pass by. “I don’t think I wanna be there when it happens.”

 

“I think what we all need is a long break from any missions,” Luna said, turning in toward Applejack’s family farm. “I’ll send word to Gen. Hammond. What you all need is some rest after what we’ve just been through.”

 

“ _And a good long review of mission safety,_ ” Luna thought as she pulled up the drive. “ _Hammond promises us the girls wouldn’t be anywhere near any fighting then Applejack gets captured? After a monster attack us at our position?_ ” Luna shook her head. “Get some rest Applejack, my sister and I won’t have any issues if you decide to take some time to recover.”

 

Applejack nodded as she left the car. “Much appreciated ma’am.”

 

As Luna backed up and turned around, Sunset looked back to see Applejack with the shock still in her eyes, walking to the barn and the horses in the pasture. “ _Is it gonna be worth the discoveries Sunset?_ ”

 

“It has to be,” she whispered to herself, trying to block out what she saw in the monster’s mind.

* * *

“Trying to discover our secrets?”

 

“Correct my queen.” Kunzite held his tongue for a moment as the courtiers and sycophants realized what the humans were doing as he kept his head bowed. “I’ve already sent a group to retrieve the body taken from the shrine, I’ve been assured it’s safely back in our possession.”

 

Beryl’s face was still twisted with fear. “Still, the fact that the humans are trying to discover our powers, and the technologies of the Lunar Kingdom is a troubling development. We may have to put out search for the Silver Crystal on hold to deal with this crisis.”

 

“I’m already taking steps to ensure that the humans can’t challenge us my queen.” Kunzite stood up, hair tied up tightly behind his head. “We will ensure that our dominance remains absolute, and that no one can challenge the Negaforce.”

 

“ _I’ll just wait,_ ” Kunzite thought, turning from Beryl and the still-pulsing Negaforce. “ _Until the time is right to show_ you _the price of failure as well. My_ queen.”

* * *

Kane watched as his followers finished construction of the command center, red lights casting their pall over the chamber as monitors lit up and broke through the darkness. Kane let himself grin at a thought. " _Now we see who has good low-light vision and who will have sore shins for a week._ "

"We're ready brother," Enoch said, walking up behind Kane holding a readout. "We've adjusted the equipment slightly but we believe that we should still be within your original parameters."

Kane took the readout and nodded, smiling as he checked a few points on the papers. "Very good Enoch, tell the team in the lab that they've done well with these adjustments." As Enoch nodded and stepped away, Kane nodded. " _They're getting better. I didn't need to hold their hands this time._ "

One of the technicians spoke over the dull murmuring and electronic hum of the chamber. "System coming online, standby for first readings."

Kane smiled, watching as the primary monitors set in the back wall showed the servers power up. Over the speakers in the chamber, "COMPUTER ASSISTED BIOLOGICALLY AUGMENTED LIFE-FORM ONLINE; STANDBY FOR DIMENSIONAL SCAN."

In seconds, the screen filled with a single sphere. Then a dozen spheres. Soon the entire central monitor was filled with hundreds of spheres pressed together against each other. Several of them bouncing off one another, others floating for a few seconds alone.

"All these things I will give to you if you stand down and follow me." Kane turned to Enoch. "Mark each occurrence carefully. Our path to Convergence begins today."


End file.
